"Google has started inserting ads into query results from its AI Mode, which was originally spotted by an SEO consultant named Brodie Clark. These ads show up in the bottom of search results in the Gemini-powered AI Mode. They are labeled as "sponsored" content, but otherwise look similar to other links whipped up by the chatbot. Google says this is just a test and that ads shouldn't be showing up for all users."
"For now, the software seems to be prioritizing organic links over sponsored links, but we all know how insidious ads can be once the floodgates open. AI presents an especially slippery slope here, as these chatbots are often advertised as personal assistants. I don't really want a personal assistant barking ads at me 24/7. Incidentally, there doesn't seem to be any way to hide the aforementioned sponsored links."
"It sure looks like our free ride is already coming to an end, as AI companies are really speedrunning through that whole enshittification thing. X recently announced that it would be incorporating ads into query results. There are also rumors that OpenAI has been hiring people to turn ChatGPT into an ad platform. That company's recently-launched AI social media slop factory Sora reportedly burns through $15 million a day generating videos of Sam Altman eating pizza in space or whatever."
Google has started inserting ads into query results generated by Gemini-powered AI Mode, with sponsored links appearing at the bottom of responses. The ads are labeled 'sponsored' but otherwise resemble other links produced by the chatbot. Google characterizes the change as a test and says ads should not be visible to all users, with no current plans for full ad integration. The software currently appears to favor organic links over sponsored ones, but sponsored content cannot be hidden within AI Mode. Competitors and other AI platforms are also experimenting with ads, and there are rumors of ad strategies at major AI companies.
Read at Engadget
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