Google AI Mode Expands Ads in Search

Google’s AI Mode is becoming an increasingly important part of the search experience, and new research suggests that paid advertising is already starting to play a significant role within AI-generated results.

A recent analysis by SE Ranking found that text ads appeared on around 29% of commercial keywords tested in Google AI Mode. However, the study also revealed that advertisers appearing in paid placements were rarely listed as sources within the AI-generated answers themselves.

The findings highlight an important distinction for marketers: gaining visibility through paid ads in AI Mode does not automatically mean gaining organic visibility or being recognised as a trusted source by Google’s AI systems.

Paid Ads and AI Citations Often Operate Separately

SE Ranking analysed whether websites appearing in Google AI Mode ads were also included among the sources used to support the AI-generated responses.

The research found that advertiser domains appeared as cited sources in just 11% of cases, while the exact landing page URL appeared only 1.95% of the time. In most instances, the website paying for the advertisement was not among the pages referenced by AI Mode.

This suggests that advertisers should treat paid placements and AI visibility as two separate measurements. A brand may appear at the top of an AI search experience through advertising while another website is selected as the supporting source for the answer.

For businesses investing in AI search visibility, tracking both paid performance and organic citations will become increasingly important.

Higher CPC Keywords Saw More Ads

The study also examined what factors influenced when ads appeared in AI Mode and found the strongest connection was with cost per click (CPC).

Keywords with higher CPCs were more likely to trigger advertisements:

Average CPC	Ad Presence
Below $2	24%
$2–$10	32.45%
$10 and above	53.56%

While the research indicates a relationship between CPC and ad visibility, it does not prove that higher CPC alone determines whether an advertisement appears. The results are based on the analysed keyword sample and show a correlation rather than a guaranteed ranking factor.

Interestingly, search volume and keyword difficulty did not show the same level of connection with ad frequency.

Ad Visibility Changes Between Industries

The presence of AI Mode ads varied significantly depending on the industry being searched.

According to the analysis, some sectors saw much higher advertising activity, while others had very limited ad appearances. The Pets category recorded ad visibility as high as 72%, whereas Healthcare keywords saw ads appear in only around 2% of searches.

SE Ranking suggested that industries focused on lead generation and commercial actions are more likely to see frequent advertising, while categories involving more informational searches may have fewer paid placements.

This means businesses should consider their industry and customer journey when assessing opportunities within Google AI Mode.

Advertisers Rarely Ranked Organically for Paid Keywords

The research also examined whether advertisers appearing in AI Mode ads were already ranking organically for the same searches.

The results showed limited overlap between paid and organic visibility. Only around 2% of paid URLs also ranked organically for the same keyword, while advertiser domains appeared in organic results approximately 15.35% of the time.

Some of this difference is expected, as many advertising campaigns send users to dedicated landing pages that are not designed to rank organically. However, the gap remained even when looking at wider domain-level rankings.

The findings suggest that paying for visibility in AI Mode does not necessarily improve traditional search rankings.

Google Continues Expanding AI Search Advertising

Google has been gradually introducing more advertising opportunities within AI-powered search experiences.

During Google Marketing Live, the company announced new AI Mode advertising formats, including Conversational Discovery ads and Highlighted Answers, which are designed to appear more naturally within AI-generated responses.

These features are still being tested, but they show Google’s intention to develop new ways for businesses to reach users as search becomes more conversational.

Google has also previously stated that advertisements appearing in AI Overviews can generate revenue in a similar way to traditional search ads.

What This Means for Marketers

The growing presence of ads in AI Mode creates new opportunities for advertisers, but businesses should not assume that paid placements will automatically lead to stronger AI visibility.

The research shows that advertising, organic rankings and AI citations currently work independently from one another. A company may pay to appear in an AI response but still not be selected as a trusted source by Google’s systems.

For marketers, this means measuring AI search performance will require a broader approach. Monitoring paid placements, organic rankings and AI citations separately will provide a clearer picture of how a brand appears across different parts of the search experience.

Looking Ahead

As Google continues developing AI Mode, the relationship between advertisements and AI-generated answers may change.

Future formats that place ads directly inside AI responses could make the connection between paid visibility and AI recommendations much closer. However, for now, businesses should view AI Mode advertising as a separate channel rather than a shortcut to organic AI search visibility.

As AI-powered search continues evolving, advertisers will need to adapt their strategies by combining traditional SEO, paid search campaigns and new approaches designed specifically for AI-driven discovery.