Google has announced a new generation of artificial intelligence-powered advertising and commerce tools driven by its Gemini AI technology during the 2026 edition of Google Marketing Live 2026.
The company said the new solutions are designed to help businesses improve discovery, creativity, commerce and marketing performance across Google Search and YouTube.
Google disclosed that Gemini has become the engine powering the next phase of AI-driven advertising and commerce experiences.
According to the company, AI Mode in Google Search has already surpassed one billion monthly users globally within one year of launch.
Google said it is now officially upgrading Search with Gemini 3.5 Flash as the default model powering AI Mode worldwide.
The company explained that the latest AI-powered Search experience is evolving beyond traditional keyword-based results into a platform capable of reasoning, monitoring the web and executing complex tasks for users.
Among the key announcements was the introduction of new AI-powered advertising formats on Search.
Google said its new Conversational Discovery ads in AI Mode would generate customised ad creatives based on a user’s search intent, while Highlighted Answers would allow advertisers to appear as featured recommendations when considered highly relevant by the AI system.
The company also announced expanded Direct Offers features, enabling brands to upload discounts, giveaways and travel promotions that Gemini can match to users during AI-assisted planning.
Google further unveiled AI-powered Shopping ads featuring AI-generated explainers and a new Business Agent for Leads tool that allows shoppers to interact directly with an AI agent trained on an advertiser’s website.
The technology giant also upgraded its AI-powered creative hub, Asset Studio, allowing marketers to generate text, image and video assets using natural language prompts.
According to Google, the tool can now process marketing briefs, brand guidelines and reference materials to create campaign assets tailored to business goals.
The company said new AI-powered campaign features under Demand Gen would expand to Google Maps and integrate Merchant Center product videos for retailers.
Google also announced improvements to measurement and analytics tools, including integration of its open-source Meridian Marketing Mix Model into Google Analytics 360.
The company said this would help businesses analyse cross-channel and first-party data more effectively.
On agentic commerce, Google revealed new capabilities under its Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), allowing AI agents to securely connect with retailer systems for shopping and booking experiences.
The updated system will support multi-product checkout experiences directly within Google and YouTube Shopping ads.
Google said the features would initially launch in the United States before expanding to countries including Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom.
The company also launched Ask Advisor, an AI-powered assistant integrated across Google Ads, Google Analytics, Google Marketing Platform and Merchant Center to provide marketers with personalised recommendations and campaign insights.
Google described the latest updates as a shift from traditional marketing automation to “marketing intelligence,” positioning Gemini as a strategic partner for businesses and advertisers globally.
