Google AI Mode ads are live in India: what Bangalore businesses should do now

On 28 October 2026, Google said it is scaling ads in AI Mode to ten more countries, India among them. AI Mode is the chat-style tab in Google Search where people ask longer questions and get an AI-written answer with links. Now that answer can carry ads, labelled "Sponsored".

The short answer for Indian advertisers: you don't need to set anything up, and you can't switch it off separately. If you already run Search, Shopping or Performance Max campaigns in English, your ads can show in AI Mode and AI Overviews. What you can control is which searches you match, which you block, and whether your ads and landing pages are good enough for the longer, more specific questions people ask there. This guide covers what changed, what you can and can't control, and six things to do this week.

What Google announced on 28 October

In its announcement, Google named the ten countries where ads in AI Mode are now scaling: Australia, Canada, India, Kenya, Malaysia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and Singapore. It plans to add Brazil, Mexico and the UK in the fourth quarter of 2026. It also launched "multiturn" ads, which can show on follow-up questions in the same conversation, but only in the US for now. Search Engine Roundtable notes that ads in AI Mode first launched in May 2025.

Google shared two figures from US data. AI Mode queries are, on average, three times longer than traditional searches. And click-through rates for sponsored and organic product listings inside AI Mode are already similar. Both numbers are Google's own and from the US, so treat them as a direction, not a forecast for your account.

Which campaigns can show in AI Mode

Google's help page on ads in AI-powered experiences in Search sets out the rules:

• Existing campaigns are eligible automatically. Search, Shopping and Performance Max campaigns can serve in AI Overviews and AI Mode. No new campaign or separate budget is needed.
• Text ads and Shopping ads can appear. Google says it is also experimenting with other types, such as local inventory ads and vehicle ads.
• Match type decides how far you reach. Broad match, AI Max for Search, Shopping and Performance Max can match both the user's direct question and the wider context of the conversation. Exact and phrase match keywords only match direct, commercial-intent queries.
• English only. India is on the list of eligible countries, with English as the language.
• Same auction, same price model. You pay per click or by your conversion-based bidding, as with normal Search ads. There's no extra charge.

What you can't control

This is the part most business owners will want to know before their next budget review.

• No opt-out. Google's FAQ says you can't target AI Overviews or AI Mode on their own, and you can't opt out of them separately from Search.
• No separate report. Google says results from AI Overviews and AI Mode are included, in aggregate, in your standard campaign reports and search terms report. Its AI Overviews help page says there's no segmented reporting for ads shown there. In practice, you won't see a neat "AI Mode" row in your account.
• No say over the AI's explanation. Google may add a short AI-written explainer near an ad. Unlike your own assets, you can't write, edit, approve or switch these off.

Two controls do still work in AI Mode: negative keywords and brand exclusions. They are your main levers, so use them well.

Six things to do this week

1. Find out how exposed each campaign is

List your active campaigns and note the match type behind each. Campaigns on broad match, AI Max or Performance Max can match the fuller context of an AI Mode conversation, so they will reach the most new searches. Campaigns built on exact and phrase match will see fewer, more direct queries. Neither is right for everyone. The point is to know which campaigns will change before you see the bills. If your budget is spread across too many campaign types already, our guide to Google Ads channel prioritization will help you tidy it first.

2. Tighten negative keywords and brand exclusions

Long, conversational questions bring in more research-stage and off-target searches. Review your negative keyword lists now: add job-seeker terms ("salary", "internship", "course"), DIY terms, free-only terms and locations you don't serve. If you use broad match, AI Max or Performance Max and don't want to appear on competitors' brand names, or want to keep your own brand traffic in a separate campaign, set up brand exclusions.

3. Write ads for longer questions

If AI Mode searches really are much longer, people are telling Google more about what they need: the area, the budget, the timeline, the problem. Ads that only say "Best service in Bangalore" won't stand out next to a detailed answer. Make your headlines and descriptions specific: who you serve, where, what it costs or starts from, how fast you respond. Add sitelinks for the questions customers ask most, such as pricing, locations and the process. If you'd like help, our creative ads team can rewrite your ads this way.

4. Make the landing page finish the conversation

Someone who asked a detailed question in AI Mode and then clicked your ad expects the page to pick up from there. A generic home page wastes that click. Send each ad group to a page that answers the main question near the top, shows proof and price guidance, and makes the next step obvious, whether that's a call, a WhatsApp chat or a short form. See our anatomy of a landing page that converts for a checklist.

5. Test broader matching on one campaign, not the whole account

If you want more reach in AI Mode, the route Google describes is broad match, AI Max or Performance Max. Don't switch everything at once. Pick one campaign with steady conversion tracking, change its match approach, and compare a few weeks against a similar period before. Keep a close eye on cost per lead and on how many leads turn into real customers, not just on clicks.

6. Read the search terms report every week

Because AI Mode results are mixed into your normal reports, the search terms report is your best window. Look for longer, question-style queries. If they bring good leads, write ads and pages that match them. If they don't, add negatives. Then check lead quality in your CRM or lead sheet: mark which enquiries came from Google Ads and which ones booked a visit, a demo or a sale. Our guide to cutting your cost per lead shows how to set this up.

Don't forget the organic answer

Ads are only one part of an AI Mode result. The answer itself is written from web pages Google trusts, so your organic content still matters. Pages that answer specific questions clearly, show who you are and where you work, and keep facts such as prices and service areas up to date give you two chances to appear: in the answer and in the ad. We cover this in how to get recommended by ChatGPT, and our SEO and AEO service does this work for Bangalore and Chennai businesses.

Example: a Bangalore coworking space, step by step

This is an illustrative example. The business is made up, and it's here only to show how the steps above fit together.

The starting point. The coworking space has one centre on the Outer Ring Road and sells dedicated desks and small private cabins to startups. It runs one Google Ads Search campaign on phrase match and one Performance Max campaign. All ads send people to the home page.

• Step 1: the owner notes that the Performance Max campaign can match fuller AI Mode conversations, while the phrase match campaign will only match direct queries.
• Step 2: negatives are added for "jobs", "free coworking", "day pass" (they don't sell day passes) and for areas of the city they don't want to target. A brand exclusion stops Performance Max from bidding on other coworking brands.
• Step 3: headlines move from "Premium coworking in Bangalore" to specifics: team sizes they fit, the location, parking and the starting price for a cabin.
• Step 4: a new landing page for team cabins answers the questions a startup founder would ask in AI Mode: how many seats, what's included, lock-in period, and how to book a visit on WhatsApp.
• Step 5: the phrase match campaign stays as it is. A copy of one ad group is tested on broad match for a few weeks.
• Step 6: every Monday, someone reads the search terms report and updates a simple lead sheet with which enquiries booked a site visit and which signed.

What to expect. None of this guarantees that the ads will show in AI Mode, or that more leads will follow. Google decides when ads appear, and AI Mode results aren't reported separately. What the steps do is make sure that if the ads do show, they match the right questions and land people on a page that can convert them. The owner should judge the result on cost per booked site visit and on signed members over a month or two, not on clicks or impressions.

Frequently asked questions

What are ads in Google AI Mode?

They are text and Shopping ads that can appear inside or alongside AI Mode's answers in Google Search. They are labelled "Sponsored" and come from your existing Search, Shopping and Performance Max campaigns.

Are ads in AI Mode live in India?

Yes. On 28 October 2026 Google said it is scaling ads in AI Mode to India and nine other countries. Google's help page lists India as eligible, in English.

Do I need a new campaign to show ads in AI Mode?

No. Google says existing Search, Shopping and Performance Max campaigns are eligible automatically, with no new campaigns or budgets needed. Broad match, AI Max and Performance Max can match more AI Mode conversations than exact or phrase match.

Can I stop my ads showing in AI Mode?

Not separately. Google says you can't opt out of AI Overviews or AI Mode apart from Search. You can use negative keywords and brand exclusions to control which searches you appear on.

How do I see how my ads perform in AI Mode?

Google includes AI Mode and AI Overviews results in aggregate in your normal campaign and search terms reports. There's no separate AI Mode segment, so watch your search terms and lead quality closely.

The short version

1. Since 28 October, Google is scaling ads in AI Mode to India, in English.
2. Existing Search, Shopping and Performance Max campaigns are eligible automatically. There's no separate opt-out or report.
3. Use negative keywords and brand exclusions, write specific ads, and send clicks to pages that answer detailed questions.
4. Test broader matching on one campaign and judge it on lead quality, not clicks.

If you'd like a hand, our performance marketing team in Bengaluru can review your match types, negatives and landing pages for AI Mode, and our lead generation team can help you track which enquiries turn into customers.