Liam Walsh
Liam is a Co-Director at Intelligency and heads up the agency's Digital Intelligence & Paid Social activity. Over the last decade, he has worked with brands from the world of sports such as Premier League clubs to entertainment such as Channel 4 and Disney.
Google is now showing up to four ads in a single AI Mode response, according to recent reports from the search industry. On the surface that may sound like a minor tweak, since four ads have appeared on standard Google results for years. But the context matters. Google has told investors it plans to show more ads, more often, in AI Mode, and this looks like an early sign of that strategy in action. For any business advertising on Google, it is worth understanding what is changing and why.
What Is Actually Different?
Until now, AI Mode users would typically see one or two ads, and occasionally three. A screenshot shared by Sachin Patel on Search Engine Watch shows four ads sitting at the bottom of an AI Mode answer, which suggests the ceiling has been raised. The picture is not entirely clear, though. Four ads has been the official maximum on traditional search results since 2016, so this may simply be AI Mode catching up. Either way, advertisers should expect more ad inventory in this space, not less.
Why Google Is Doing This
The commercial logic is simple. Industry commentators suggest Google has not monetised AI Mode clicks as effectively as traditional search clicks, and showing more ads is one way to close that gap. More is coming as well. Google is also introducing multiturn ads, which appear on follow-up questions within the same conversation, starting in the US. That means a single AI Mode session could offer several chances for your brand to appear.
What Advertisers Should Do Now
More ads means more opportunity, but also more competition for attention in a smaller, more conversational space. If your campaigns already use AI-powered formats such as Performance Max or AI Max, you may be eligible to appear without changing anything. Check that your product data and landing pages answer the detailed questions people are asking, and keep a close eye on cost per click as demand grows.
