The 2024 Ads Safety Report from Google reveals how AI is driving fast-paced, large-scale shifts in the advertising world.
This year’s report reveals sweeping enforcement powered by artificial intelligence, with record breaking account suspensions, and subtle but significant policy shifts that all digital advertisers need to understand.
Let’s take a look at the key changes, and what they mean for advertisers trying to stay visible and compliant in Google’s constantly evolving processes.
The Numbers Behind Google’s Ad Enforcement
Google took action on a huge scale in 2024. While it removed slightly fewer ads—5.1 billion compared to 5.5 billion in 2023—the drop was intentional as improved detection and prevention meant fewer bad ads made it live in the first place.
The real shift was in account-level enforcement. More than 39 million advertiser accounts were suspended in 2024, more than triple the figure from the previous year. This jump shows a fundamental change, Google is focusing less on individual ads and more on shutting down accounts before their misuse can make an impact.
Additionally, Google restricted 9.1 billion ads and took action across 1.3 billion publisher pages, including site-level enforcement on over 220,000 domains. These moves impact how and where ads are displayed, influencing campaign reach and visibility across Search, Display, and YouTube.
AI at the Heart of Google’s Safety Push
This ability of Google to act at this scale largely comes from its growing use of AI and machine learning. In 2024, over 50 improvements were made to Google’s large language models (LLM) to detect and respond to ad threats faster and more accurately.
One big innovation was AI-powered fraud detection during account creation, allowing Google to spot fake payment methods. This allows Google to stop these advertisers before they even launch a campaign.
Additionally, another focus area of 2024 was fighting AI-generated impersonation content. Google now has a dedicated team to root out deepfakes and ads mimicking celebrities, public figures and brands. The results of this are striking. Over 700,000 accounts were permanently shut down under stricter misrepresentation rules, and impersonation scam reports dropped by 90%.
In short, AI isn’t just a targeting or optimization tool, it’s now central to ad moderation and policy enforcement.
Key Ad Policy Update for Marketers
In April 2025, Google quietly revised its long-standing “Unfair Advantage” policy. Previously, only one ad per advertiser could appear on a given search results page. Now, multiple ads from the same brand can show up, as long as they occupy different positions.
This change opens the door for larger brands or agencies managing multiple accounts to dominate more search real estate. However, it also raises the stakes for smaller advertisers, who may find competition and costs increasing for high-performing keywords.
Advertisers should monitor how this change affects their search visibility and adjust bidding strategies accordingly.
Tips for Navigating Google Ads
To stay ahead in this tighter regulatory environment, here are four key takeaways:
- Don’t blindly trust automation. While Google’s Ad Strength and Asset Diagnostics are useful, they don’t guarantee compliance. Always review ads against the latest policy updates before launch.
- Keep your account structure clean. If you manage multiple brands or regions, clearly document their relationships. Google’s systems are increasingly skilled at spotting patterns, and overlapping details can lead to flags.
- Avoid risky creative. AI-generated content, especially anything resembling public figures or influencers, can trigger enforcement. Make sure usage rights are in place, and stick to original content when in doubt.
- Monitor your presence in search results. Use tools like Ad Preview to understand how often your brand appears and where. The recent policy change could be shifting your visibility without you realising it.
Google’s advertising environment is becoming more regulated, more automated, and more reliant on trust signals. Marketers who stay informed, agile, and transparent will be better positioned to thrive.
