AI Is Reshaping the Ad Stack — From Search Answers to Spend Allocation
Google Turns to Gemini 3 Pro for AI Overviews
Google is scaling AI search by upgrading the brains behind it.
What’s the News:
Google confirmed it is now using Gemini 3 Pro to generate AI Overviews for more complex queries, while simpler searches are handled by lighter models. AI Overviews already appear on roughly 50% of Google searches, and Google has signaled that coverage will continue to expand as Gemini is deployed more broadly across query types.
Why It Matters:
Early concerns about AI Overview accuracy have largely faded, and AI-generated answers are becoming a default part of the search experience. As Google dynamically swaps models behind the scenes, visibility can differ across AI Overviews, AI Mode, and Gemin—even though they all sit within Google’s ecosystem. For marketers, that means search presence is no longer a single surface to optimize against.
Marketers should:
Track visibility across AI Overviews, AI Mode, and Gemini — not just traditional SERPs
Plan for AI Overviews to serve as the first touchpoint for discovery on Google.
Modernize SEO measurement to account for multi-model AI exposure
Optimize for consistency so content performs across different AI systems
Ads Are Coming to ChatGPT
OpenAI takes its first step toward monetization.
What's the News:
OpenAI officially announced that ads will begin appearing in ChatGPT, starting with contextual placements at the bottom of responses. Ads will be shown to logged-in free users and subscribers of the new “Go” plan, while other paid tiers will remain ad-free. At launch, there is no self-serve ads manager or public sign-up, positioning this as early-stage testing rather than a full platform rollout.
Why It Matters:
ChatGPT has the potential to become a differentiated ad channel due to its conversational context and access to user intent. That said, limited inventory, lack of buying controls, and early-stage testing signal this is not yet a scalable performance channel—especially as Google continues to push AI Overviews and Gemini deeper into consumer search behavior.
Marketers should:
Treat ChatGPT ads as an experimental channel, not a core investment
Allocate a flexible testing budget that can move between platforms
Closely watch how OpenAI approaches targeting, reporting, and scale
Keep long-term AI search bets anchored in proven ecosystems
TikTok Smart+ Is Becoming the Default
Automation now drives nearly half of TikTok performance spend.
What’s the News:
TikTok Smart+ campaigns—which bundle automated targeting, bidding, and creative optimization—now account for approximately 42% of performance ad spend on the platform, reflecting rapid adoption over recent quarters as advertisers lean further into automation.
Why It Matters:
As Smart+ takes over a growing share of spend, TikTok performance is increasingly dictated by how well creative assets work with algorithmic delivery. The platform’s AI actively selects, serves, and scales creative based on engagement signals, meaning automation-friendly creative has a disproportionate impact on results.
Marketers should:
Design creative specifically to perform within Smart+ environments
Prioritize trend-driven hooks, fast pacing, vertical formats, and UGC-style assets
Feed Smart+ multiple creative variants to accelerate learning
Iterate quickly based on early performance signals surfaced by automation
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