Putting ads in AI replies is a controversial but lucrative practice, and it’s one that OpenAI has already embraced with its free and budget-priced ChatGPT plans. But while Google hasn’t gone there yet with Gemini, company execs admitted they’re mulling the idea.
During a call with investors on Wednesday following the release of Google’s quarterly financials, Google business chief Philipp Schindler said the company is still focused on integrating ads in AI Mode for Google search, but that “we really believe a format that works well in AI Mode would transfer successfully to the Gemini app.”
Going further, Schindler noted that “if done well, ads can be really valuable and really helpful commercial information” before adding “we’re not rushing into anything here.”
Google already serves advertisements in its AI Overviews for search results and has tested ads in AI Mode, where users can chat with Gemini within Google search.
But for now, there are still no ads in the standalone Gemini app, including for free users.
As recently as January, Google said it’s more focused on bringing ads to AI Overviews and AI Mode than to the Gemini app, but company execs have always been careful to leave the door open a crack and are now speaking more openly about the idea.
OpenAI has already rolled out ads in ChatGPT for users on its free and $8-a-month Go plans. The ads, which appear at the bottom of ChatGPT responses, are clearly marked as “sponsored,” and OpenAI says the ads have no influence on ChatGPT replies.
Anthropic has yet to put ads in the Claude app and promises it never will. Remember when Anthropic famously trolled OpenAI for its ads during a viral Super Bowl TV spot?
Personally, I don’t have any inherent issues with ads in AI, provided they adhere to the same conditions that OpenAI is following: that the ads are clearly marked, and that they have no effect on the responses you get.
I also believe more ads in AI chatbots are inevitable as the flat-rate AI party comes to an end, and AI providers start hiking the prices for their most powerful agentic products. If ads in Codex means I can use Codex without paying an arm and a leg, I’d be open to that–again, as long as those ads aren’t affecting my lines of code.
But transparency is the key, and if ChatGPT or Gemini ever were to give answers influenced by sponsors…well, then we’d have a problem.
