Google is scaling ads in AI Mode in Canada, so Canadians who use the feature will see results labeled “Sponsored” alongside the answers. Google announced the change on October 28, 2026, and said it is also launching multiturn ads in the U.S., which put ads into follow-up questions.
The announcement came from Shashi Thakur, VP and GM of Google Search Ads and Ads on Google Experiences, on Google’s Keyword blog. According to Search Engine Roundtable, Google first launched ads in AI Mode in May 2025.
Which countries get ads in AI Mode?
Google lists ten countries where it is scaling ads in AI Mode now:
- Australia
- Canada
- India
- Kenya
- Malaysia
- New Zealand
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- the Philippines
- Singapore
In Q4 2026, Google plans to expand to more locales, including Brazil, Mexico and the United Kingdom. Search Engine Journal notes that this list is not exhaustive. It also reports, citing a Google help page, that only text ads will be available in Pakistan.
The United States is not on the expansion list. Google’s post covers the U.S. only through the multiturn launch.
What are multiturn ads?
Multiturn ads let an ad appear on a follow-up question in an AI Mode conversation, not only on the first query. Google said it is launching them in the U.S. so that ads can show up as people go back and forth with the feature.
Google says all of these ads will be clearly labeled “Sponsored” and that it will keep testing new formats so ads stay helpful and relevant. Search Engine Roundtable adds that a Google spokesperson described the ads as appearing as users move through a conversation.
Do people click ads in AI Mode?
Google says yes, and gives two data points. Queries in AI Mode are, on average, three times longer than traditional searches, according to a Google AI Mode Report for the U.S. from May 2026.
Google also says click-through rates are “already similar between sponsored and organic product list items within AI Mode.” That figure comes from Google internal data for the U.S., covering August 20 to September 3, 2026. Search Engine Roundtable questions whether the same holds for text links rather than the graphical product results, and Google has not said.
How do advertisers get into AI Mode?
For most advertisers, nothing separate has to be set up. Search Engine Journal, reading Google’s help page, reports that existing Search, Shopping and Performance Max campaigns are eligible by default and cannot opt out separately.
The same report says advertisers cannot target AI Overviews or AI Mode on their own. Exact match and phrase match keywords do not qualify for contextual matching on exploratory questions, while AI Max, broad match, Shopping and Performance Max do.
Prices
Neither Google’s post nor the coverage lists a price, a fee or a Canadian dollar figure for ads in AI Mode. Nothing in the announcement changes anything people pay when they search, and no US figures are given either. Advertisers should check their own Google Ads account and the help page for how spend in these placements is reported.
Who it suits
Canadian small businesses that already run Google Ads. If you run Search, Shopping or Performance Max campaigns, your ads may now be eligible in AI Mode in Canada by default. It is worth checking where your spend is going.
Retailers with product feeds. Google’s click-through claim is about product list items, so shopping campaigns are where its data is strongest. Google has not given Canadian figures.
Advertisers who rely on exact and phrase match. According to Search Engine Journal, those keyword types do not qualify for contextual matching on exploratory questions, so broader setups may reach AI Mode more often.
Everyday searchers in Canada and the U.S. Expect more “Sponsored” labels inside AI Mode answers, and in the U.S., inside follow-up questions too. Google says the labels will be clear.
Who should wait. Anyone planning a budget around the click-through claim. It is Google’s own U.S. data from a two week window, and Canadian results are not published.
What is still unknown?
Google has not said which ad formats appear in Canada beyond product list items, when multiturn ads might reach Canada, or how much AI Mode traffic Canadian advertisers can expect. It also has not named the full list of locales for Q4 2026.
Next step: read Google’s announcement on the Keyword blog, then open the Google Ads help page for AI Mode and review your campaign types and match settings.
