Google Expands AI Mode Ads to 10 More Countries as Chatbot Rivals Chase Revenue

3 articles · Updated · WIRED · Nov 5

Google last week rolled out ads in its AI Mode search chatbot to 10 additional countries beyond the US, widening one of the clearest tests of whether chatbot ads can become a durable business.
100,000 advertisers have already bought placements in ChatGPT since February, underscoring why AI companies are turning to ads to offset the high cost of generating responses even as Anthropic keeps Claude ad-free.
Koah Labs, which says it serves ads across 200-plus apps, reports AI-assisted ad copy can double clicks and that chatbot ads are drawing roughly 3% click-through rates—about in line with mature Google search ads.
That promise comes with trade-offs: chatbot ad targeting can use full conversation history, raising privacy concerns, and heavily regulated brands often keep tighter human control over copy, which Koah says weakens performance.
The broader outlook remains unsettled as shopping agents emerge and some app makers question whether ads fit the medium at all, with DeepAI's CEO saying the experience still falls short on privacy and design.