Chatbots remain ad-free in Gemini for now, but that could change quickly.
Google earns billions from search advertising, but this revenue source may be under pressure as more people use AI chatbots to search for information. To compensate for this, the company is experimenting with advertisements. Ads in Gemini chatbots are not on the agenda for now, but the foundation for them is already being gradually laid.
AdSense for Chatbots
Since 2024, Google has been testing ways to integrate AdSense, the well-known advertising platform, into AI interfaces. Initial experiments seem successful, as more and more companies are allowed to join. “AdSense for Search is available for websites that want to display relevant ads within their AI experience,” Google states.
Gemini is currently ad-free, but that could change if AI becomes even more popular as a way to search for online information. The high costs of generative AI also make advertising revenue more attractive.
New Subscription Formula
Google is also taking steps towards more premium services. Some users are already seeing notifications about a new “Gemini Ultra” subscription formula, in addition to the existing Gemini Advanced plan at $20 per month. What exactly Gemini Ultra entails is still unclear.
More information about the commercial future of Gemini will likely be announced at Google I/O later this month. There’s a good chance that free AI users will soon see ads unless they pay for a premium experience.