Get the latest tech news

As Google Targets AI Search Ads, It Could Learn a Lot From Bing

Microsoft and Google are bringing ads to their AI search experiences. But users don’t always find it helpful.

Though Microsoft says it labels all ads, Marcus Pratt, senior vice president for insights and technology at the ad-buying agency Mediasmith, says he’s encountered at least two searches in which links with indications that they are sponsored arguably haven’t been adequately disclosed. That means Copilot can draw on advertisers’ content to show ads as simple text, a row of product images, sponsored links embedded within AI summarization, or multimedia widgets for booking travel or deciding which car to buy. OpenAds, a New York City startup that’s raised $1 million in funding, expects its ad technology to launch inside multiple AI search chatbots and image generators in the next couple of months, its CEO, Steven Liss, says.

Get the Android app