Overview
- Google’s chief business officer, who spoke Wednesday on the Q1 earnings call, said the company is open to placing ads in the Gemini app.
- The standalone Gemini app remains ad-free, though Google has put some ads in AI Overviews and is testing formats in AI Mode, the chat-style version of Search.
- Philipp Schindler said Google is prioritizing paid plans and a clean user experience, while viewing ads as a way to reach more users if the formats prove helpful.
- The remarks mark a shift from January, when a Google ads executive told Business Insider there were no plans to add ads to Gemini.
- Rivals are split, with OpenAI rolling out clearly labeled sponsored slots in ChatGPT’s lower tiers as Anthropic pledges no ads in Claude, putting pressure on Google to ensure strong labeling and safeguards if it proceeds.