Ads come to Google's AI search
On October 28, 2026, Google expanded AI Mode ads to 10 countries: Australia, Canada, India, Kenya, Malaysia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and Singapore. Korea is not included, and Brazil, Mexico, the UK and others are planned for Q4.
Key facts
| Announced | October 28, 2026 |
|---|---|
| 10 countries | Australia, Canada, India, Kenya, Malaysia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore |
| Q4 plans | Brazil, Mexico, the UK and others |
| United States | Ads on follow-up questions too |
| Label | Sponsored |
| Advertisers | Existing Search, Shopping and Performance Max campaigns are eligible automatically |
What happened
Google said on its official blog on October 28, 2026 that it is expanding AI Mode ads to Australia, Canada, India, Kenya, Malaysia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and Singapore. Korea is not on this list.
Why it matters
Google said AI Mode queries are on average three times longer than regular searches, based on a May 2026 US report. It also said that in US internal data from August 20 to September 3, 2026, click-through rates for ad listings and regular product listings in AI Mode were already similar. No specific figures were given, and these are Google's own data.
What changed
In the US, "multi-turn ads" are arriving, so ads also appear on follow-up questions. The post does not say whether this feature applies in other countries. Google said it will keep testing new formats.
How users see it
According to Google Ads Help, ads are labeled Sponsored and kept separate from regular answers. Google says ad spend does not influence the AI's regular answers. It also says exact placement may keep changing.
What advertisers need to do
- No new campaign or separate budget is needed. Existing Search, Shopping and Performance Max campaigns become eligible automatically.
- The current formats are text ads and Shopping ads. Local inventory ads and vehicle ads are in testing.
- According to the help page, it is available first in English in the US and some English-speaking markets.
- AI Max, broad match, Shopping and Performance Max can match against both the question and the AI answer.
In Korea
Korea is not in this list or among Brazil, Mexico and the UK, the countries named for Q4. However, Google wrote the Q4 countries with "and others", so this should not be read as Korea being ruled out. We also could not find a schedule for Korean-language support.
Sources
Questions
Will AI Mode ads appear in Korea?
Korea is not among the 10 countries in this round or the countries named for Q4.
How are the ads labeled?
They carry a Sponsored label and are kept separate from regular answers.
Do advertisers need to set anything up?
According to the help page, existing Search, Shopping and Performance Max campaigns become eligible automatically.
