Google has unveiled a new generation of artificial intelligence-driven advertising and commerce tools, signaling a decisive shift in how brands will engage consumers across Search, YouTube and digital commerce ecosystems.
At this year’s Google Marketing Live (GML) 2026, the technology giant positioned its Gemini AI models at the center of a broader transformation of digital marketing; one that moves beyond automation into what the company describes as “marketing intelligence.”
Google said user behaviour on Search is evolving as consumers increasingly ask longer, more conversational and exploratory questions through AI-powered interfaces.
To capitalise on this shift, the company introduced a new generation of advertising formats built specifically for AI-powered Search experiences.
Among the headline launches are “Conversational Discovery Ads” within AI Mode, where Gemini generates customised advertising creatives based on the context and intent of a user’s query. Another new format, “Highlighted Answers,” allows advertisers to appear as featured recommendations when Google’s AI curates product or service suggestions.
The company stressed that sponsored placements within AI Mode will remain clearly labeled.
Google also expanded its “Direct Offers” initiative, enabling brands to upload discounts, promotions and travel deals that Gemini can dynamically bundle and present to consumers. Travel booking integrations involving partners such as Booking.com and Expedia are expected to deepen Google’s push into AI-assisted trip planning.
Retail and e-commerce also featured prominently in Google’s strategy update.
The company unveiled AI-powered Shopping Ads capable of surfacing products alongside AI-generated explanations detailing why a recommendation may suit a customer’s needs before they explicitly ask.
Google additionally launched “Business Agent for Leads,” an AI-enabled chat interface embedded directly within ads. The feature allows consumers to interact with a virtual business representative trained on information from an advertiser’s website.
Google also upgraded Asset Studio, its integrated AI-powered creative production platform inside Google Ads.
The enhanced platform enables marketers to generate text, images and video assets using plain-language prompts while incorporating uploaded marketing briefs, brand guidelines and reference images.
The company said the system can now produce “brand-accurate” advertising content at scale and instantly test variants using a one-click A/B testing function.
On the campaign side, Google broadened the capabilities of its Demand Gen advertising products across Search, YouTube and Google Maps.
New features include integration of Google Maps inventory to target consumers exploring local businesses, as well as direct incorporation of Merchant Center product videos into campaigns.
Meanwhile, Google announced deeper integration between Meridian (its open-source Marketing Mix Model) and Google Analytics 360.
The move is designed to help businesses better evaluate advertising effectiveness across channels using first-party data, amid tightening global privacy regulations and the gradual decline of third-party tracking technologies.
The company also launched “Qualified Future Conversions,” a measurement tool intended to track longer-term consumer outcomes after ad exposure.
A major focus of the event was Google’s expansion of “agentic commerce,” where AI systems autonomously assist consumers in completing shopping tasks.
The company said its Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), developed alongside retail partners, is evolving to support multi-product checkout experiences directly within Google-powered interfaces.
Consumers will also soon be able to transfer selected products from Google to retailers’ websites to complete transactions.
Google plans to extend UCP-enabled shopping experiences to YouTube ads and expand the framework into sectors including hotel bookings and food delivery.
The company further announced that AI-powered performance insights will soon become available in Merchant Center across markets including India, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States, allowing merchants to monitor visibility across AI-generated shopping journeys.
The announcements highlight how AI is increasingly becoming central to the economics of online advertising, a market long dominated by Google’s search ecosystem.
By embedding Gemini across advertising, analytics and commerce products, Google is attempting to reinforce its leadership position as rivals accelerate investment in generative AI search and recommendation systems.
The company also introduced “Ask Advisor,” an AI assistant designed to deliver proactive recommendations across Google Ads, Google Analytics, Google Marketing Platform and Merchant Center.
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