The moves signal Google’s shift from marketing automation to what it calls marketing intelligence, as AI agents begin handling tasks that previously required human campaign managers.
Google used its Marketing Live 2026 event on Thursday to roll out a significant expansion of AI-powered advertising tools, including a new Search ad format that places a Gemini-powered chatbot directly inside the ad, allowing users to ask questions and get answers without ever leaving the search results page.
Business Agent for Leads
The focus announcement for India is Business Agent for Leads, a brand-new search advertisement format currently being tested in India. The AI agent used in this type of advertisement is hosted on the advertiser’s website and is meant to help convert conversations into meaningful leads. The Indian edtech platform Upgrad was among the first companies to test this feature, introducing it to prospective students via search.
Ask Advisor and Broader AI Tools
Alongside the new ad format, Google launched Ask Advisor. This Gemini-powered tool delivers personalised recommendations to marketers by pulling insights across Google Ads, Google Analytics, and Google Marketing Platform. The company also upgraded Asset Studio, its creative platform for advertisers, allowing users to generate brand-accurate ad assets through natural language descriptions and imported brand guidelines.
Other notable additions include YouTube BrandStack, an automated campaign planning and measurement solution built in India; AI Max for Shopping; Dynamic Remarketing for re-engaging lapsed customers; and an expanded Demand Gen feature that now reaches users on Google Maps based on location at key moments of discovery.
The Numbers Behind the Push
According to Google, the company earned $77.25 billion in ads in the first quarter of 2026, a 15.5% increase over the previous year, including $9.88 billion from ads on YouTube. Advertising accounts for about 75% of the company’s total earnings and helps Google invest in AI infrastructure valued at nearly $200 billion. In addition, according to the company, Gemini cuts ineffective ads by 40%, while queries in AI mode are three times longer than in traditional search, giving advertisers more opportunities to meet audience expectations.
