Are ads coming to Gemini? Google executive says ‘Users are starting to see…’
Google has relied on ad revenue from its Search results for years, but the rise of artificial intelligence models has threatened to challenge this in recent years. In response, Google has upgraded its search experience by adding AI features like AI Overviews and the AI Mode. Meanwhile, the company also runs the Gemini AI chatbot, which can search the web, and this chatbot is making its presence felt across various Google software, from smartwatches to TVs.
Until now, there has been uncertainty about how the new technology would be monetized, except through subscriptions. However, a Google executive has confirmed that the company is looking to bring ads to different AI experiences, including AI Mode. Robbie Stein, VP of Product at Google, speaking on the 'Silicon Valley Girl' podcast about the company's ad revenue, said, 'Don't see them going away.'
'I think that's an opportunity for in the future to be even more helpful for you, particularly in an advertising context. And so we started some experiments on ads within AI mode and within Google AI experiences,' Stein said. 'We've been really focused on building great consumer products first and foremost. But I think users are starting to see some ads experiments there too,' he added.
Stein also noted that there could be 'new and novel ad formats' and 'it's early days in finalizing kind of how ads might appear in these systems.'
Google isn't alone in exploring AI for ad revenue. OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT and a leading AI player, is also reportedly working heavily on bringing ads to its chatbot. A recent report by The Information stated that OpenAI is considering showing ads to users based on ChatGPT's memory, which helps personalize the chatbot for users. Imposing ads via this feature could lead users to choose between a more tailored experience or continuing the chatbot with ads.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has also expressed a positive view of ads, citing Instagram's implementation as an example. He said, 'I'm not totally against it. I can point to areas where I like ads. I think ads on Instagram are kinda cool. I bought a bunch of stuff from them. But I think it'd be very hard to—I mean, it'd take a lot of care to get right.'
The potential integration of ads into AI experiences raises questions about user experience and the balance between personalized content and advertising. As AI continues to evolve, companies like Google and OpenAI are at the forefront of exploring new ways to monetize these technologies while maintaining user satisfaction.
