Google is now open to exploring inclusion of ads in Gemini app: Report

Google may bring ads to Gemini in the future, with executives indicating openness to monetisation as the company tests ad formats across AI-powered search experiences

Google may be preparing to introduce ads into its Gemini AI app, marking a potential shift from its current ad-free experience. According to a report by Android Headlines, the company is exploring ways to monetise the chatbot, with a senior executive indicating during the latest earnings call that advertising is now being actively considered. The move, if implemented, would align closely with OpenAI’s recent move to test ads for ChatGPT Free and Go plan users.

Ads could come to Gemini as Google explores monetisation

As per the report, while speaking during the Q1 2026 earnings call, Google’s Chief Business Officer Philipp Schindler said the company is open-minded about exploring the possibility of ads inside the Gemini app. The comment marks a shift from the company’s statement in December last year.

 

 

In December 2025, Vice President of Global Ads at Google, Dan Taylor, while commenting on a report stating that Google is exploring featuring ads within Gemini, said, “There are no ads in the Gemini app, and there are no current plans to change that.”

The report by Android Headlines added that Google is already experimenting with ad formats in AI Overviews and its AI Mode for Search. As per Schindler, if these formats prove to be effective and user-friendly, they could be extended to Gemini as well. He described such ads as helpful commercial information, rather than being purely disruptive.

 

While Gemini currently offers paid subscription tiers with additional features, the report suggests that these may not be sufficient to support the rising costs associated with AI development. Introducing ads could provide an additional revenue stream, which Google may use to scale its AI infrastructure and sustain further growth in the space. However, for users, it would mean that their ad-free Gemini app experience may require a higher-tier subscription.

OpenAI testing ads for Free and Go plan users

Earlier in February, OpenAI announced that it had started testing ads for ChatGPT users on its Free and Go plans in the US, while keeping higher-tier subscriptions such as Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Education ad-free. The company said ads are clearly marked as sponsored and kept visually separate from responses, adding that they do not influence the answers generated by ChatGPT. OpenAI said the move is aimed at keeping the service accessible to a wider audience with fewer usage restrictions.

According to the company, ads are selected based on the context of a user’s conversation, along with past interactions, to ensure relevance. For example, users looking up recipes may see ads related to food services. OpenAI added that users can disable ad personalisation and clear associated data at any time, reiterating that responses remain independent and focused on providing the most helpful information.