In short. Ads inside Google AI Overviews use eligible Search, Shopping and Performance Max campaigns, with specific market, targeting and reporting limits.

Definition: Ads in Google AI Overviews are paid Search or Shopping placements inside Google's AI-generated search summaries. As of 17 October 2026, Google also documents separate advertising placements above and below these summaries.

Key facts

Google's AI Overviews advertising documentation distinguishes ads above or below an overview from ads within it, with different eligibility rules.
Google's responsive search ads guidance lists English-language ads inside AI Overviews on mobile and desktop in Australia, Canada, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, and the US.
Google's advertising announcement identifies the paid placements with the label “Sponsored”.
Google's keyword matching documentation explains that broad match can match ads to related searches, including searches without the direct meaning of the keywords.

Which campaigns and placements are eligible?

Google's placement documentation lists text, Shopping, local and app ads from Search, Shopping, Performance Max and App campaigns as eligible above or below AI Overviews wherever the summaries are available. These placements use the existing auction ranking system and signals.

Inside an overview, eligibility covers text and Shopping ads from existing Search, Shopping and Performance Max campaigns. Google excludes sensitive categories including adult content, alcohol, gambling, finance, healthcare and politics. The documentation presents these as examples of exclusions.

How are ads matched to an answer?

Google's AI Overviews advertising guidance requires commercial intent and relevance to both the query and the overview's content. Eligible ads also have to win the auction. Broad match is a keyword matching option that reaches related searches. The targeting options include broad match and keywordless targeting through AI Max for Search, Performance Max, Shopping or Dynamic Search Ads.

Google's matching guide says it can consider recent search activity, landing-page and asset content, and other keywords in the ad group. Its syntax is simply the keyword, without quotation marks or square brackets.

What does the paid placement look like?

Google's format announcement specifies this visible advertising label:

Sponsored

The announcement illustrates the format with a question about removing grass stains from jeans. Its example answer describes household solutions and commercial stain removers, with relevant Shopping ads appearing within the overview. Google marks the displayed results as illustrative and says results may vary.

What controls and reporting are available?

Google's advertising FAQ says advertisers cannot target only AI Overview placements or opt out of them. It reports ads inside AI Overviews as Top Ads and provides no separate reporting segment for this placement. A Top Ads classification therefore includes these placements without identifying them separately.

FAQ

Can I create a campaign that serves only inside AI Overviews?

Google's advertising FAQ says you cannot directly target these placements. Existing eligible campaigns participate through the auction.

Does availability above an overview establish eligibility inside it?

The responsive search ads guidance lists specific countries and English-language availability for ads inside the overview. The broader above-and-below placement rules have a separate scope.

Sources

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