NAIROBI, Kenya — Just when you thought Google’s search results couldn’t look more like a digital billboard, here comes AI Overviews… with more ads.
At its annual Google Marketing Live event, the tech giant announced it’s rolling out ads within its AI-generated search summaries, also known as AI Overviews. Starting this month, U.S. desktop users will be the first to see the change. But here’s the kicker: by the end of the year, users in Kenya and 11 other countries will get them too.
Various countries will see these AI-enhanced, ad-laced results in English across both mobile and desktop platforms. So yes, Kenya, welcome to the next generation of monetized search.
AI Mode, meet AI Ads
Google isn’t just slapping ads on your standard blue links. The company’s new AI Mode, announced at Google I/O, is designed to turn your search results into a chat-style experience, where you can ask follow-up questions. Now, that same space will host ads—right inside the AI-generated responses, if they’re “relevant.”
But critics worry the integration could blur the line between organic information and commercial content, especially as Google pushes harder into generative AI territory to take on ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot.
If you’ve ever wished your AI assistant could also double as a shopping assistant, this is it. AI Mode will even let you virtually try on clothing using your own photos and automatically purchase items when prices drop. Yep, your browser is now your wardrobe stylist.
Conclusion: The search future is commercial—and AI-powered
With AI Overviews and AI Mode, Google isn’t just changing what we search—it’s changing how we see results, ads and all.
And as these features roll out globally, including here in Kenya, expect your search results to become smarter, more interactive—and more ad-filled.
So next time you ask Google a question, don’t be surprised if your AI answer comes with a shopping tag.
