Google is set to introduce advertisements in its AI Overviews feature, which provides AI-generated summaries for specific queries. The company shared more details about the upcoming ads in a recent blog post, revealing that they will soon start testing search and shopping ads in AI digests for US users. Advertisers do not need to take any action to activate these ads, as they will appear in a section labeled ‘sponsored’ when relevant to both the query and the information in the AI Overview.
The announcement was accompanied by an animated demonstration showing wrinkle-smoothing products appearing in an AI overview related to straightening clothes. While Google sees this as a way to monetize the feature and retain users on its platform, some users may not welcome the increased presence of ads in a feature that cannot be easily turned off.
With Google Search already facing issues of spam and low-quality results, the addition of ads to AI Overviews may further disrupt the user experience. This move could be seen as an attempt by Google to compete with OpenAI’s ChatGPT for answers and retain its user base. Competitors like Microsoft’s Bing search engine have already integrated ads within their chatbot, indicating a shift towards monetizing AI-generated content.
In the long term, as AI-generated content becomes more prevalent in search engines, ads and other forms of advertising within these platforms could become crucial for companies like Google. As the industry evolves, feedback from advertisers and users will shape the future development of AI Overviews and their monetization strategies.
Overall, the introduction of ads in Google’s AI Overviews feature signifies a broader trend towards leveraging AI-generated content for advertising purposes in search engines. While this move may benefit Google in terms of revenue generation, it also raises concerns about user experience and the potential impact on search engine functionality. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how users respond to these changes and how companies adapt their strategies to meet evolving user expectations in the AI era.
Article Source
https://mashable.com/article/google-ai-overviews-ads