Google tests pharmaceutical ads in AI Mode and AI Overviews
Google has begun testing ads for pharmaceutical products, including prescription drugs, inside AI Mode and AI Overviews. A Google spokesperson told Adweek the company had "recently expanded to include certain pharmaceutical products" in the standard text and Shopping ads it already runs on those surfaces.
The test started this month and is limited to the United States. Ads appear in sections labelled "Sponsored", and Google said there have been no recent changes to its drug or pharmaceutical advertising policies.
For brands and agencies working on generative engine optimisation, the change means a new paid placement sits alongside the organic citations they are trying to earn in AI answers. Pharmaceutical advertisers can now buy visibility in the same responses where they are competing to be recommended.
Reported by Search Engine Roundtable ↗
Topics: AI Overviews, AI Mode, AI advertising