The inevitable has happened: Ads on Google Search's AI Mode are here

"Google Search AI Mode is starting to show ads for the first time. Google has long been working on ways to monetize its various AI efforts, especially when it comes to Search. Not surprising when you know Search accounts for a big part of the company's revenue. We're starting to see this come to fruition with ads arriving on the previously ad-free AI Mode experience."

"Don't want to miss the best from Android Authority? It was inevitable, but users are starting to see ads in Google Search's AI Mode. Earlier this week, X (formerly Twitter) user Greg Sterling pointed out that he saw ads for the first time in AI Mode for local HVAC repair. At the time, Sterling was using AI Mode in Google's experimental interface, known as Labs, which is signified by the beaker icon."

"However, another X user, Brodie Clark, was able to replicate this outside of Labs with a service-based query. According to Clark, these ads are labeled with a sponsored tag and look similar to the organic link cards seen elsewhere. It also appears that these ads are always located at the bottom of the results. Google started showing sponsored content in Search's AI Overviews on mobile about a year ago. Up until this point, AI Mode has been ad-free, likely to make it a more attractive experience as people became acquainted with it. But it looks like Google is taking the expected next step by adding sponsored content to AI Mode as well."

Google has begun placing sponsored results within Search's AI Mode, introducing monetization to the previously ad-free experience. Ads appear alongside AI-generated responses and are labeled with a sponsored tag. Initial sightings occurred in Google's experimental Labs interface and have been replicated outside Labs for service-based queries. The sponsored results resemble organic link cards and are consistently located at the bottom of AI Mode outputs. Google previously added sponsored content to AI Overviews on mobile about a year ago. Adding ads to AI Mode represents a further step toward integrating advertising into AI-driven Search features.

Read at Android Authority