Google’s Stance on Gemini Advertising

In a recent interview, Nick Fox, Google’s senior vice president of knowledge and information, clarified that the company has not dismissed the idea of placing ads within Gemini, its AI‑driven assistant. While Google executives have previously said there are no immediate plans, Fox said the firm is "not ruling them out" and that future decisions will be guided by user experience and relevance.

Testing Ads in AI Mode

Google is currently experimenting with ads in AI Mode, a Search product powered by Gemini. Fox explained that this environment allows the company to evaluate how ads interact with AI‑generated responses while keeping them separate from organic results and clearly labeled. The company’s principle is that ads should be useful, and if an ad is not relevant, it will not be shown.

Learning From Experiments

The insights gained from AI Mode experiments are expected to inform any potential ad implementation in the Gemini app. Fox noted that users have shown a preference for ads that are contextually relevant within Search, and the company intends to apply those learnings to future Gemini experiences.

Google’s Financial Leverage

Google’s strong revenue performance gives it flexibility to prioritize product development over immediate monetization. Fox highlighted that the business generated more than $400 billion in revenue in 2025, allowing the firm to focus on building a high‑quality consumer product before deciding on ad placement.

Personal Intelligence and Future Targeting

Google recently introduced Personal Intelligence, a feature that enables Gemini to draw on a user’s Gmail, Photos, and Calendar to deliver contextual answers. While this raises questions about ad targeting, Fox stressed that personal data remains private and is not sold to advertisers. The integration of Personal Intelligence into Search or Gemini is still under evaluation.

Industry Context and Competition

OpenAI has begun testing ads on the free tier of ChatGPT in the United States, prompting speculation about Google’s next steps. Meanwhile, Anthropic aired a Super Bowl commercial warning about the risks of ads in AI, and Perplexity announced a pause to its own ad experiments due to concerns over user trust. Google’s approach, according to Fox, relies on decades of experience in delivering relevant, non‑intrusive ads.

Looking Ahead

Fox described the broader vision for Search as a seamless, AI‑enhanced experience where users can ask any question and receive the most useful response, whether that includes a web link, news articles, or an AI‑generated answer. As AI Mode, AI Overviews, Gemini, and traditional Search continue to converge, the company will decide where and how ads fit into that ecosystem, always emphasizing relevance, quality, and user privacy.

Used: News Factory APP - news discovery and automation - ChatGPT for Business