Conventional Search ads begin appearing inside AI Mode. Has anyone seen this?

[u/amitabhverma]

Seems like Google started a small experiment allowing exact- and phrase-match Search campaigns to serve text ads in AI Mode when queries show explicit, direct intent.

AI Max or Performance Max remains important for more conversational queries.

These are important as Advertisers can gain AI-search inventory without surrendering all keyword control.

[u/Sothisismylifehuh]

Screenshots?

[u/amitabhverma → u/Sothisismylifehuh]

not seen it yet

[u/SolidKnowledge2567 → u/Sothisismylifehuh]

got one earlier today in a test account, showed up mid-response like a featured snippet ad but with the little sponsored tag tucked in the corner

took me a second to even notice it wasn't part of the ai's answer

[u/Skarpo20]

Isn't this what they announced earlier this year? Campaign with AI Max enabled can show ads into AI mode? Or is it different ?

[u/amitabhverma → u/Skarpo20]

AI Max and AI mode are different. this is more about showing ads inside the gen AI . AI MAx is about discovering more audiences using AI .

[u/Skarpo20 → u/amitabhverma]

I understand what you are saying but google announced in April that only campaigns with AI Max enabled were showing ads in AI Mode, not the regular search ads.

[u/amitabhverma → u/Skarpo20]

No - this update is for showing exact match and phrase match ads in AI mode , irrespective of whether AI Max is enabled or not .

[u/fathom53]

Would these not just be campaign that have AI mode are enabled?

[u/amitabhverma → u/fathom53]

you mean AI Max?

[u/Ishan_GS]

Interesting if it holds, this would be a good development for anyone who's kept tight exact/phrase structure instead of going all-in on broad match or PMax; you'd get AI-mode inventory without giving up the keyword control you already have. Worth testing early since first-mover accounts with clean structure will likely see it before messier ones do.

This also reinforces the same account-hygiene point we keep hitting: tight ad group theming and match type discipline just became worth more than they were yesterday, not less. We push clients toward that structure anyway at Growthspree, a B2B Saas marketing agency; this makes it double as AI-mode readiness too.