Yes, Google is putting more ads into AI Mode. On 28 October 2026 it said ads in AI Mode are scaling to ten more countries, and that follow-up ads are launching in the US [1]. The ads are labelled “Sponsored” [1].
This matters if you run Google Ads, and it matters if you rely on organic traffic. Here is what Google said, what its help page adds, and what you can do about it.
The announcement at a glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What | Ads in AI Mode scale to ten more countries. Follow-up (multiturn) ads launch in the US [1] |
| Who | Advertisers running Search, Shopping or Performance Max campaigns [2] |
| When | Announced 28 October 2026. Brazil, Mexico and the UK are planned for Q4 2026 [1] |
| Can you opt out? | No. Advertisers cannot opt out of AI Mode separately from Search [2] |
Shashi Thakur, who leads Google Search Ads, published the post on 28 October 2026 [1]. It makes two points:
- Ads in AI Mode are now scaling to more countries.
- Multiturn ads are launching in the US. These let an ad appear in a follow-up question, not just in the first answer.
Google gave no date for the US rollout of follow-up ads. It also named no new ad formats. It said only that it will keep testing them [1].
Which countries get ads in AI Mode?
Google’s post names ten countries where ads are scaling now: Australia, Canada, India, Kenya, Malaysia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and Singapore [1]. In Q4 2026 it plans to add more places, including Brazil, Mexico and the United Kingdom [1].
The Google Ads help page gives a slightly longer list. It covers the US plus the countries above, and it adds Indonesia. Two limits apply: Indonesia gets ads in AI Overviews only, and Pakistan gets text ads only. The language is English [2].
Watch out: The help page and the blog post do not list identical countries. Check the help page for your market before you plan around it. Google can change it at any time.
Can advertisers opt out?
No. Existing Search, Shopping and Performance Max campaigns can serve in AI Mode through the normal auction. You need no new campaign and no separate budget [2].
You also cannot aim only at AI Mode, and you cannot turn it off on its own. What you can still use: negative keywords, brand exclusions and asset pinning [2]. Results are folded into your normal campaign and search terms reports. There is no separate AI Mode report [2].
Text ads and Shopping ads can appear. Google says it is also testing local inventory ads and vehicle ads [2].
What do Google's click numbers mean?
Google shared two figures in the post [1]:
- AI Mode queries are on average three times longer than traditional searches. The source is Google’s own AI Mode Report for the US, from May 2026.
- Click-through rates are “already similar” between sponsored and organic product list items in AI Mode. The source is Google internal data from the US, 20 August to 3 September 2026.
Treat both as Google’s claims. We could not check the data behind them. The click-through figure is also about product listings only, not every kind of ad.
What should advertisers do?
- Check your market. Look at the help page list for your country and language.
- Review your negative keywords and brand exclusions. They are your main controls.
- Expect longer queries. If Google’s three-times figure holds for you, broad and AI-powered matching may show your ads on questions you never planned for.
- Watch your search terms report. It is the only place these queries show up.
Quick check: Open your search terms report and look for long, question-style queries. If you see them, AI Mode may already be a source. Google does not label it for you.
What does it mean for SEOs and publishers?
The announcement is about paid ads. It says nothing about how organic results are chosen. What changes is the space around them. More ads in the answer can mean fewer clicks for pages that sit below.
So keep two things in view. First, track AI Mode and AI Overviews traffic in Search Console, where Google reports it under the Web search type [3]. Second, work on being cited, not only ranked. Our Google AI Overviews guide covers how.
From our own site: The Search Console Performance report for aiseojournal.net shows 3 clicks and 1.42K impressions at an average position of 32 for 7 August to 6 November 2026 (checked on 8 November 2026). We have no ad data to report. Google says results from AI placements appear in your Google Ads campaign and search terms reports [2].
Frequently asked questions
Are ads in AI Mode live in the UK?
Not yet. Google says it plans to expand to the UK, Brazil and Mexico in Q4 2026. It has not given a date.
Can I turn off my ads in AI Mode?
No. Google says advertisers cannot opt out of AI Overviews or AI Mode separately from Search. You can use negative keywords and brand exclusions to limit when ads show.
What are multiturn ads?
They are ads that can appear in follow-up questions inside an AI Mode conversation. Google says they are launching in the US. It gave no exact date.
How are the ads labelled?
Google says they are clearly labelled “Sponsored”.
Does this change organic rankings?
Google’s announcement does not say so. It covers paid ads only.
