Google expands AI Search ads globally as core ad growth slows
- ID
- 40577
- Status
- summarized
- Published
- 29 Oct 2026, 5:48 AM
- Fetched
- 29 Oct 2026, 6:20 AM
- Provider
- TechCrunch
- Category
- technology
- Original URL
- https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/28/google-expands-ai-search-ads-globally-as-core-ad-growth-slows/
- Source URL
- https://techcrunch.com/feed/
Summary
- Score
- 5.5
- Created
- 29 Oct 2026, 6:21 AM
- Tags
- Audience
- developerssaas_founders
What happened
Google said on its Q3 2026 earnings call that it is expanding ads in AI Mode and AI Overviews to international markets for the first time, alongside multi-turn ads in the U.S. Alphabet reported $127.6B revenue, up 25% year over year, but Search ad growth slowed to 12% from 17% in Q2 and 19% in Q1, and shares fell 8%. Google says sponsored product listings in AI Mode already have click-through rates comparable to organic listings, and AI Mode queries are three times longer on average than traditional search.
Why it matters
If you buy Google search traffic or depend on search acquisition, this signals new sponsored placements inside AI answers beyond the U.S.; test whether AI Mode placements add incremental conversions or cannibalize existing campaigns, and prepare for longer conversational queries rather than short keyword-style ones. Check your own Google Ads account for country availability before budgeting, since the text says international markets but does not name Malaysia.
Discussion angle
What would you measure first if AI Mode ads appear in your market: incremental conversions, branded vs non-branded mix, or the shift toward 3x-longer queries?