Short answer: Google’s help says existing Search, Shopping and Performance Max campaigns are automatically eligible to show ads within AI Overviews and AI Mode. There is no new campaign or separate budget to set up. On November 12, 2026, Google named English as the language for those ads, in the United States and select English-speaking markets. Exact and phrase match keywords take part only when a search shows direct commercial intent.
Where ads appear in AI Overviews and AI Mode
Google’s help says ads can appear directly within or alongside AI-generated responses when a search or conversation has commercial relevance. In AI Mode, that includes follow-up questions.
Those ads are clearly labeled “Sponsored” and visually distinguished from organic content. Google tests and refines the layouts continuously, so the exact visual presentation may evolve over time.
Standard ads can also continue to appear above or below an AI Overview, as they do next to other results. Google says your ad can appear both above an AI Overview and within it on the same search, depending on the query and auction. Ads don’t appear both within an AI Overview and immediately below it.
Paid advertising doesn’t influence the organic responses generated by Google AI, the help page adds. Whether your site is cited organically doesn’t affect your ad auction eligibility either.
Our guide to Google AI Overviews covers that organic side: how AI Overviews work and what a page needs to appear.
For ads inside another AI assistant, our guide to ChatGPT ads covers who can buy them and how ChatGPT picks which ad to show.
Which campaigns can show ads there
Advertisers don’t need to create new campaigns or set up separate budgets for these placements, according to Google. Existing campaigns automatically participate through the Google Ads auction when relevant.
Existing Search, Shopping and Performance Max campaigns are automatically eligible to serve ads within AI Overviews and AI Mode. Text ads and Shopping ads can appear there.
Google adds that it is experimenting with other types of ads, such as local inventory ads and vehicle ads.
On November 12, 2026, Google listed the countries for ads within AI Overviews and AI Mode. They were the United States, Australia, Canada, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and Singapore.
In Indonesia the list covers AI Overviews only, and in Pakistan text ads only. The language was English.
Google says the list may not be exhaustive, because it keeps testing and expanding ad serving across countries, territories and languages.
For ads above or below AI Overviews, the list gives all 200+ countries and territories, and all languages, where AI Overviews are available.
In a post on October 28, 2026, Google said it planned to expand ads in AI Mode to more locales in Q4 2026, including Brazil, Mexico and the United Kingdom. The same post said Google was launching ads in follow-up queries in AI Mode in the US.
In our view, plan a Spanish-language campaign around the ads above and below an AI Overview, since Google’s list names English for the ads inside it.
How Google matches an ad to a question
In AI Overviews and AI Mode, Google matches ads directly to the user’s query when the search already expresses clear commercial intent.
When someone asks a longer, exploratory or conversational question, Google matches ads contextually, to both the query and the AI response. That happens when commercial intent emerges from the helpful next steps in the response.
In Google’s example, the AI response to “why is my pool green and how do I clean it?” outlines water testing, brushing and vacuuming. The question asks for no product, yet Google can surface ads for pool vacuum cleaners or algae treatment kits.
Exact and phrase match keywords on Search are eligible when a query expresses direct commercial intent, such as “pool vacuum cleaners”. They aren’t eligible for contextual matching on broader exploratory questions.
AI-powered targeting is eligible for both contextual and direct query matching, Google says. It includes AI Max for Search campaigns, broad match on Search, Shopping campaigns and Performance Max.
In our view, start with the match types, because a campaign built only on exact and phrase match keywords stays out of the longer questions.
Our guide to keyword match types covers broad, phrase and exact side by side, and how to check which searches matched.
What AI Max changes in a Search campaign
Google introduced AI Max for Search campaigns on May 6, 2025, as a one-click feature suite. Its help calls AI Max an optimization layer within existing Search campaigns, not a new campaign type.
Turning on AI Max turns on search term matching, which expands on your existing keywords with broad match and keywordless technology. You can toggle it off in the ad group settings.
It also turns on text customization, formerly known as automatically created assets, and final URL expansion. You can toggle those off individually in the campaign settings.
New Search campaigns have AI Max turned on by default, according to Google’s page on setting it up. For an existing campaign, go to Settings within the Campaigns menu and select the Search campaign. Then select AI Max in the section menu and toggle to opt in.
Google’s page on ads in AI Overviews and AI Mode recommends AI Max for Search campaigns with search term matching enabled, or broad match on Search. That makes your ads eligible for both direct query matching and contextual matching, the page says.
It also recommends turning on text customization and final URL expansion, so your headlines, descriptions and landing pages adapt to exploratory and conversational queries.
Negative keywords are respected even with AI Max turned on, according to Google’s AI Max questions.
To try AI Max on part of the traffic, the same questions describe an AI Max experiment under the Experiments tab. If your account is eligible, you may find a 1-click experiment recommendation on the Recommendations page.
That recommendation sets up a 50/50 split test, comparing your base Search campaign against an AI Max treatment arm.
Our guide to Google Ads experiments covers which experiment fits your change and how to read the results.
In our view, test AI Max in an experiment on a campaign that already brings leads, rather than turning it on across the account.
What Google recommends for bids and budget
Google’s page on these ads recommends conversion- or value-based Smart Bidding, backed by accurate first-party conversion measurement. That measurement can come through the Google tag or offline conversion imports.
It also suggests keeping budgets flexible on high-performing campaigns, so Google AI can bid effectively across both direct searches and exploratory questions.
The setup page adds that search term matching, final URL expansion and text customization require conversion-based Smart Bidding strategies to function effectively.
Search term matching doesn’t work with manual CPC bidding, Google’s AI Max questions add. For the full capabilities, Google recommends a conversion or conversion value-based bidding strategy.
AI Max won’t be effective if the budget limits the campaign, Google notes.
In our view, get conversion tracking right before you turn on AI Max, because its search term matching relies on signals from automated bidding.
AI explainers, controls and reports
Ads in AI Overviews and AI Mode combine campaign assets, such as headlines, descriptions, images, pricing and landing pages, with clear “Sponsored” labeling.
In some placements, ads may also appear with AI explainers. Google describes them as concise, independent text generated by its Gemini models, to help people understand how an ad relates to what they’re looking for.
An explainer can use the user’s query, the AI response and publicly available sources, including your website.
AI explainers aren’t part of ad headlines or descriptions. Advertisers can’t manually write, edit, approve or opt out of them, according to Google.
Keeping your website content clear and up to date helps Google surface accurate context in AI explainers, its help adds.
Existing account and campaign guardrails, such as negative keywords and asset pinning, continue to apply to these ads. Google’s AI Max questions add that pinned assets aren’t respected when text customization and final URL expansion are both on.
You can’t target ads exclusively to AI Overviews or AI Mode, or opt out of showing ads in them separately from Search. Negative keywords and brand exclusions still control when and how your ads serve.
These ads use the same auction mechanism and cost-per-click or conversion-based bidding models as standard Search ads. Google says you aren’t charged extra to participate.
Their performance metrics are included in aggregate in your standard campaign reports. Queries that trigger them are included in aggregate in your search terms report.
In our view, judge these placements by the campaign’s overall results and its search terms, because Google reports them inside the usual numbers.
Our Google Ads page says we build and run Google Search campaigns in English and Spanish. It adds that every week we read the exact words people typed before they clicked.
What to check in your Search campaign
In our view, check these points in the campaign:
- The campaign targets a country on Google’s list, and its ads are in English.
- Some ad groups use broad match, or AI Max runs with search term matching on.
- Conversion tracking works, and the bid strategy is based on conversions or conversion value.
- The budget doesn’t limit the campaign.
- Negative keywords and brand exclusions are up to date.
- The landing pages are clear and current, since AI explainers can draw on your website.
RememberExisting Search, Shopping and Performance Max campaigns are automatically eligible for ads within AI Overviews and AI Mode. On November 12, 2026, Google named English as the language, in the United States and select English-speaking markets. Exact and phrase match keywords take part on direct commercial searches. AI Max and broad match are eligible for contextual matching too.
Questions about ads in AI Overviews and AI Mode
Can I show my Google ads only in AI Overviews or AI Mode?
No. Google’s help says you can’t target ads exclusively to AI Overviews or AI Mode, or opt out of showing ads in them separately from Search. You can still use negative keywords and brand exclusions to control when and how your ads serve.
Do ads in AI Overviews cost more than other Search ads?
Google says they use the same auction mechanism and cost-per-click or conversion-based bidding models as standard Search ads. You aren’t charged extra to participate, standard invalid traffic protections apply and you are only charged for valid clicks.
Can a campaign in Spanish show ads inside AI Overviews?
On November 12, 2026, Google’s list named English as the language for ads within AI Overviews and AI Mode. Google says the list may not be exhaustive. Ads above or below AI Overviews are eligible in all languages where AI Overviews are available.
Do I need AI Max for my ads to show in AI Overviews?
No. Google’s help says existing Search campaigns are automatically eligible. Exact and phrase match keywords are eligible when a query expresses direct commercial intent. AI Max and broad match are eligible for contextual matching on exploratory questions too.
Do my ads change what Google’s AI says about my business?
No. Google says organic AI Overviews and AI Mode responses are generated independently. Buying ads doesn’t influence organic AI answers, and whether your site is cited organically doesn’t affect your ad auction eligibility.
Sources
All read on November 12, 2026. From Google Ads Help: About ads in AI-powered experiences in Google Search. Also from Google Ads Help: How AI Max for Search campaigns works, Set up AI Max for Search campaigns and Frequently asked questions about AI Max for Search campaigns. From Google’s blog: Introducing AI Max for Search campaigns (May 6, 2025) and Ads in AI Mode expand to new markets (October 28, 2026).