In recent months, Google has been testing ads in its AI Mode for Search, showing sponsored results above and below AI Overviews in several markets, including India, the US, Australia and Canada. These placements draw on existing text and shopping ads, along with Shopping and Performance Max campaigns, and are tailored to the user's query and the AI-generated summary.

During Google's latest quarterly earnings call, Chief Business Officer Philipp Schindler told investors the company's "focus right now is on AI Mode," but said it was "fair to say that we really believe a format that works well in AI Mode would transfer successfully to the Gemini app." He added that "if done well, ads can be really valuable," framing advertising as central to scaling Gemini to billions of users.

Gemini has so far remained ad-free, relying on Google's broader subscription and cloud strategies, even as the company bundles premium Gemini features with services such as enhanced storage and Fitbit Premium. However, the landscape is shifting fast. OpenAI began testing ads in ChatGPT in early February 2026 for logged-in adult users on its Free and Go tiers in the US, while keeping Plus, Pro, Business and Enterprise plans ad-free.

OpenAI says these sponsored suggestions appear around responses and "do not influence" the model's answers, a claim aimed at reassuring users and regulators that paid placements will not distort core outputs. Google is likely to face similar scrutiny if it moves ahead with Google Gemini ads inside a conversational interface that is already shaping how people search for information.

If Google formalises ads in the Gemini AI app, users may see a mix of conversational recommendations and clearly labelled sponsored results woven into chats, much as they already do around AI Overviews in Search. Executives argue this could fund further AI development and keep access free for many people, but it also raises tough questions about transparency, trust and how strongly commercial incentives will pull on an assistant that presents itself as neutral.

For now, Google has not confirmed a launch date for Google Gemini ads, only that it is actively experimenting with formats and business models. As competition with ChatGPT intensifies, how Google chooses to blend monetisation with user experience in Gemini will help define what "free" AI really means over the next few years.