Google weighs ads for Gemini chatbot in early conversations with advertisers

Google has begun quietly telling major advertising clients that it intends to introduce ads into Gemini, its flagship artificial-intelligence chatbot, Adweek first reported, marking one of the company’s most significant steps yet toward commercializing its rapidly expanding AI portfolio.

The report stated that Google representatives said the company is targeting 2026 for the rollout of paid placements inside Gemini. The reps described early plans for monetization but offered few specifics to advertisers, including what formats might appear in a conversational interface, how placements would be priced or tested, or how Gemini’s responses might be shaped by commercial signals. Google reportedly indicated that the initiative would be distinct from ad offerings in AI Mode, the company’s AI-powered search experience introduced earlier this year.

The discussions are unfolding as Alphabet continues to outline to investors its strategy for weaving generative AI deeper into its products and revenue engines. In recent earnings filings and public remarks, the company has emphasized that Gemini will serve as an “AI assistant for everyone,” embedded across Search, Android, Workspace and Cloud, with monetization opportunities expected to emerge as user behavior shifts. Google has been testing new ad formats across its ecosystem — particularly within Search, YouTube and Performance Max — while repeatedly telling shareholders that long-term growth will depend on aligning AI capabilities with commercial models that maintain user trust.

As Alphabet invests heavily in expanding Gemini’s capabilities — from multimodal reasoning to enterprise-grade safety and reliability — the company continues to reassure investors that its “core ads business remains resilient.” Bringing ads to Gemini could represent a pivotal test of that proposition, challenging Google to balance AI innovation with the commercial infrastructure that has long powered its growth.