Key points
- Ten new markets get AI Mode ads now, per Search Engine Journal; Brazil, Mexico and the U.K. are slated for Q4 2026.
- Follow-up questions in AI Mode will carry ads in the U.S. Campaigns already running on Search, Shopping or Performance Max are in automatically, with no separate opt-out.
- Google Search revenue rose 12% in Q3, down from 17% in Q2, and Schindler said lower AI Mode monetization was one cause.
- Advertisers cannot target AI Mode alone, and reports fold its results into regular Search data, per Google's help page as cited by SEJ.
Why it matters for marketers: Ad budgets in eligible campaigns may start serving inside AI Mode, but with no dedicated targeting and blended reporting, marketers will struggle to measure what those placements deliver.
Google said on Alphabet's third-quarter earnings call that it is taking ads in AI Mode outside the U.S. for the first time. It is also adding ads that appear when users ask follow-up questions in AI Mode in the U.S. Search Engine Journal lists ten new markets, including Australia, Canada, India and Singapore, with Brazil, Mexico and the U.K. planned for the fourth quarter.
The timing matters because Search revenue grew 12% in the quarter, after 17% in Q2 and 19% in Q1. Chief business officer Philipp Schindler named currency moves, retail disruption tied to EU import rules and a media spending reset as factors. He also said fast query growth in AI Mode, which earns less per query, played a role. Alphabet shares fell after the report.
For advertisers, the practical point is that eligibility is automatic. According to Search Engine Journal, Search, Shopping and Performance Max campaigns are already in, and AI Mode cannot be targeted by itself. Negative keywords and brand exclusions still apply. Reach depends partly on whether a campaign uses broad match or AI Max, and reporting combines AI Mode with other Search results.
Google also says early data shows sponsored and organic product listings in AI Mode draw similar clicks. That comparison rests on internal U.S. data from a two-week window in late summer, so teams should treat it as a starting point. Watch for the Q4 market rollouts, any clearer AI Mode reporting, and how your own conversion data compares as these placements spread.
Sources
This brief is our own summary. Read the full reporting at the source.
- TechCrunch: Google expands AI Search ads globally as core ad growth slows
- Adweek: Google Stock Sinks as AI Mode Pressures Search Ad Growth
- Search Engine Journal: Google Search Growth Slows Again, AI Mode Is Partly Why via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern
- The Decoder: Google's AI search problem finally shows up in the earnings report, some investors believe
- HubSpot Blog: ChatGPT Ads vs. Google Search ads: 5 differences to consider in your strategy
