The inevitable has happened: Ads on Google Search’s AI Mode are here (Update: It’s a test)

Update: November 21, 2025 (2:14 PM ET): A Google spokesperson has informed us that these ads appearing in the wild are part of a test. The test was initially announced at Google Marketing Live back in May. According to the spokesperson, Google has no new updates to share regarding the rollout of ads on AI Mode.

Original article: November 21, 2025 (11:55 AM ET): 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.

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.