Google announced two new ad formats for its AI Mode during Google Marketing Live, deepening ad integration within AI-generated search experiences. These formats, Conversational Discovery ads and Highlighted Answers, are powered by Gemini and designed to place advertisements more directly into AI responses and recommendation flows. Each ad will feature an independent AI explainer synthesizing product information alongside the advertiser’s creative.
The new Conversational Discovery and Highlighted Answers ads integrate directly into AI-generated responses.
Conversational Discovery ads are tailored to respond to detailed or exploratory prompts within AI Mode. Instead of traditional keyword targeting, Gemini generates custom creative and surfaces product features based on the conversation’s broader context. This format is built for longer, conversational interactions where users may refine their needs over time, moving beyond single high-intent queries.
The second format, Highlighted Answers, places ads directly within recommendation lists generated by AI Mode. This allows highly relevant ads to appear closer to the recommendation itself, potentially increasing visibility earlier in a user’s research process. Both new formats will maintain clear sponsored labels and include AI-generated explainers alongside the ad content.
These updates signal Google’s intent to embed ads deeper into conversational search experiences. For advertisers, this emphasizes the critical importance of high-quality creative, robust landing page content, structured product data, and strong first-party conversion signals. Measurement and optimization may become more complex as searches become less structured and more conversational, moving beyond traditional keyword behavior.
