The integration of generative artificial intelligence into search engines does not spell the end of advertising, quite the contrary. In a video demo of its new Search experience, Google gave a glimpse of how ads could fit into the interface, and clearly the company isn’t doing half measures.
As with other areas, generative AI has immense potential in the advertising industry. Proof of this is with Meta, which wants to exploit technology to boost its activity in the field.
Ads at almost every step of the search experience
A few weeks ago, Google unveiled the future capabilities of its search engine when powered by generative AI. The technology should also allow the Mountain View company to rethink the way it displays advertisements, which represent its main source of income.
In a video published in a blog post on the new Search, Google showed where ads could fit. In addition to the usual display at the top of search results, generative AI offers new possibilities for the company, at the risk of bombarding the user with advertisements.
Thus, after a query relating to activities to do in Maui, Hawaii, the user searches for ” kids hiking backpacks “. Backpack listings logically appear, including a link at the very top of these listings that is marked as sponsored. The video scrolls down to the “Request Tracking” tab which is below another set of Google ads.
After a new user query asking if it’s easy for kids to learn to surf, the AI creates a text summary with some linked cards, then the video scrolls down to, once again , other advertisements, a series of sponsored links on surf lessons and activities for children.
New formats soon to be tested
While it’s important to note that this video is a demonstration primarily aimed at advertisers to give them an idea of the possibilities offered by the new Google experience, it is likely that more ads will be integrated into the search engine, even if that is done more discreetly.
” Over the next few months, we’ll be experimenting with search and purchase ads directly integrated with AI-powered snapshot and conversational mode “, has also announced Jerry Dischler, vice president and general manager of ads at Google. The Mountain View company is not the only one to exploit this technology for the benefit of advertising. Microsoft, which has incorporated generative AI into Bing, is also considering the new formats it will soon be able to offer advertisers.
Sources: The Verge, Google
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