Google Brings Ads To AI Search Summaries

Google is beginning a broad roll-out of ads with its artificial intelligence (AI)-generated search summaries, in a move to show investors that it can bring in revenues from the expensive and highly resource-intensive technology.

The summaries, called AI Overviews, were introduced in May as part of Google’s strategy to challenge generative AI firms such as ChatGPT.

The overviews are composed in real-time based on a user’s search query using generative AI technology that requires cutting-edge back-end infrastructure.

Investors have shown concern that Google’s intensive spending on AI infrastructure could squeeze its margins.

AI ads

The technology itself has attracted controversy, as the summaries initially displayed incorrect information and reduced the need for users to click through to the sources the information comes from.

In addition to the ad rollout, Google said it would begin adding links to sources more prominently on the right side of the overview.

It said initial tests showed such links sent more traffic to website compared to the former design with links at the bottom, said Google’s vice-president of user experience, Rhiannon Bell, during a presentation for journalists.

The ads will be displayed in panels marked as “Sponsored” above, below and within the summaries, suggesting products related to the search.

In a demonstration, a query about removing grass stains from jeans displayed ads for Tide and OxiClean laundry products.

The ads will initially be displayed only for US mobile users and will only be displayed for queries with a commercial aspect.

Google said it will not share ad revenue with the publishers whose information is used in the summaries.

AI-organised results

The company also said it would begin sorting search results into scrollable lists of suggestions based on the user’s query and search history.

These “AI-organised search results”, as the company calls the feature, will initially only be used for US mobile users who search for recipe ideas.

Google Lens, the visual search app, will also now be able to process video and voice input in addition to photos and text.

The search and advertising giant is working to fend off competition from Microsoft-backed start-up OpenAI, as well as other start-ups and major companies in the generative AI field, even as it faces new pressures from two US antitrust lawsuits focusing on its search and advertising dominance.

In August a judge found Google acted illegally to maintain its search monopoly, while a separate case focusing on its advertising tech wrapped up last month.