Ads in Google AI Overviews and AI Mode: What PPC Advertisers Can and Can't Control

AI Overviews are the AI-generated answer boxes that appear at the top of Google search results for informational queries. Instead of showing ten blue links, Google's large language model reads multiple sources, synthesises an answer, and presents it directly in the search results page. These overviews include citations, links, and (increasingly) ads.

AI Mode is Google's conversational search experience, announced at Google Marketing Live 2026. Users enter AI Mode to ask follow-up questions, refine their search, and get AI-generated responses that cite sources. Think of it as Google's answer to ChatGPT search, built directly into the Google search interface.

Both represent the same fundamental shift: from "ten blue links where the user chooses" to "one AI answer with embedded citations and ads." For PPC advertisers, this changes the game entirely. Your ad is no longer competing for a position on a list. It is competing to be included in a synthesised answer.

Ads can appear within and alongside AI Overviews in several ways:

• Shopping ads embedded directly in AI responses for product queries (e.g., "best running shoes for flat feet")
• Search ads placed below or alongside AI Overviews for commercial queries (e.g., "ppc agency London")
• Product feed data pulled into AI-generated comparisons and recommendations
• Sponsored citations within AI Mode conversational responses

The critical difference from traditional search: placement is algorithmically determined based on relevance, not manual bidding. You cannot target AI Overview placements specifically. There is no "AI Overview" campaign type, no placement bid adjustment, and no opt-in toggle. Google decides which ads are relevant enough to include, and that decision is based on signals you influence indirectly.

This is a meaningful departure from the auction model PPC advertisers have relied on for two decades. In traditional search, you bid, you win (or lose), and you know why. In AI search, Google's model decides whether your offering is worth mentioning at all.

While you cannot force your ad into an AI Overview, you can influence the signals Google uses to determine relevance. These are the levers you still control:

• Ad copy quality. Ads that directly answer the user's question are more likely to be surfaced. Write headlines and descriptions that address specific pain points, not generic value propositions. See our guide on why creative is the new targeting
• Landing page relevance. The AI reads your landing page. If it contains the information being summarised, your ad is more likely to be included. If your landing page is thin, generic, or keyword-stuffed, it will be overlooked. A landing page audit can identify gaps
• Product feed accuracy. For Shopping campaigns, your product feed is your lifeline. Accurate titles, complete descriptions, correct pricing, and high-quality images all influence whether Google's AI selects your products for AI-generated recommendations
• Conversion tracking signals. Google uses conversion data to understand which advertisers deliver value. Strong, accurate conversion tracking tells the AI that users who interact with your ads get what they need
• First-party data. Customer match lists, enhanced conversions, and offline conversion imports help Google's AI understand your customers and your value proposition at a deeper level

Notice the pattern: everything you can control is about being genuinely useful. The algorithm rewards the same things a human researcher would value: clear answers, accurate information, and relevant products.

Equally important is understanding what lies outside your control entirely:

• Whether your ad appears in an AI Overview. There is no opt-in toggle, no campaign setting, and no bid modifier. Google decides.
• The position within the AI-generated answer. Unlike traditional ad positions (1, 2, 3), AI Overviews embed ads contextually. You cannot bid for a specific slot.
• Which queries trigger AI Overviews vs traditional results. Google is rolling out AI Overviews gradually and the triggers change frequently. A query that shows an AI Overview today might show traditional results tomorrow.
• How the AI summarises your offering. The AI pulls from your landing page and ad copy, but it rewrites and synthesises the information in its own words. You cannot dictate how your brand is described.
• The competitive set within the AI response. You cannot control which other advertisers or organic sources are cited alongside you.

This lack of control is uncomfortable for PPC professionals accustomed to granular bid management and placement targeting. But it is the direction Google is moving. The sooner you adapt your strategy, the better positioned you will be.

The shift to AI search requires concrete changes in how you build and manage campaigns:

• Write ads that answer questions directly. Stop writing ads that just match keywords. Write ads that answer the question behind the keyword. "We manage Google Ads" is weaker than "Reduce your cost per lead by 38% in 60 days." The AI is looking for answers, not keyword matches
• Ensure landing pages provide the information the AI is summarising. If your competitor's landing page explains how your product category works and yours just says "Buy now," the AI will cite your competitor. Your landing page needs to be an information resource, not just a sales page
• Invest in product feed quality for Shopping. AI-generated Shopping responses pull from product feeds. Every missing attribute, vague title, or incorrect price reduces your chances. Treat your feed as a first-class marketing asset
• Build first-party data signals. Enhanced conversions, customer match, and offline conversion imports give Google's AI more context about who your customers are and what they value. More signal means better relevance matching
• Rethink your keyword strategy. AI search is query-driven, not keyword-driven. Users ask full questions, not two-word fragments. Your keyword strategy needs to reflect conversational, intent-rich queries

In traditional PPC, the formula is straightforward: the highest bidder with adequate Quality Score wins the top position. In AI search, the formula changes. The most relevant, most useful, most authoritative answer wins inclusion in the AI response.

This means three things for advertisers:

• Landing page quality matters more than ever. A thin landing page with a form and three bullet points will not be cited by AI. A comprehensive, well-structured page that genuinely answers the user's question will. This is why a landing page audit is now a prerequisite, not a nice-to-have
• Specific ad copy beats generic copy. "London PPC agency with 15 years experience" is more useful to an AI synthesising answers than "We do PPC." Specificity is what the model needs to determine relevance
• Accurate product data beats inflated claims. The AI cross-references your claims against other sources. If your product feed says one thing and review sites say another, the AI will favour the more credible source

Think of it this way: in traditional search, you are bidding for attention. In AI search, you are earning citation. The skills are different. The advertisers who thrive in AI search are those with strong creative assets, comprehensive landing pages, and accurate, detailed product data.

Here is the uncomfortable truth: you cannot isolate AI Overview performance in Google Ads reporting yet. There is no segment, no column, and no report that shows "impressions from AI Overviews" separately. Google may add this in the future, but for now you need proxy metrics.

What to monitor:

• Impression share changes. If your impression share drops on informational queries without a corresponding budget or bid change, AI Overviews may be absorbing those impressions
• CTR shifts on informational queries. Watch for CTR increases (users who do click from AI Overviews may be more qualified) or decreases (the AI answered the question without a click)
• New query types in search terms reports. AI Mode encourages longer, conversational queries. If you see more question-format queries appearing, that is AI Mode traffic
• Shopping feed performance changes. Sudden shifts in Shopping impression volume or CTR may indicate AI Overview integration pulling from your feed
• Overall conversion volume trends. The macro-level question: are you getting more or fewer conversions as AI Overviews expand? Track this against Google's AI Overview rollout timeline

This measurement gap is frustrating but temporary. In the meantime, focus on the inputs you can control (ad copy, landing pages, feeds, data) and monitor the outputs for trends. A managed PPC service can help you track these shifts systematically across your account.