Adthena reported that 175,100 paid ad placements appeared in Google’s AI Overview and AI Mode panels in the U.S. from June through September 2026. About 111,000 of those were in apparel and roughly 55,000 in consumer electronics. Marketers should focus budget on these categories as AI surfaces grow.
What happened
- Adthena identified 175,100 paid ad placements in Google’s AI Overview and AI Mode panels across the United States from June through September 2026.
- The five holiday shopping categories tracked were apparel, consumer electronics, travel, beauty, and toys & games.
- Apparel accounted for approximately 111,000 placements and consumer electronics about 55,000, far outpacing travel (6,500), beauty (2,100) and toys & games (685).
- In the same period, 204,489 ChatGPT ad placements were recorded in those five categories.
- Advertiser counts on the Google AI surface rose from 1,082 in June to 3,741 in July and 6,333 in August.
- Google’s Help Page notes that all Search, Shopping, and Performance Max campaigns are automatically eligible for AI-Answers, though advertisers cannot target AI Overview or AI Mode exclusively.
- AI Overviews in Google results grew from 304 million in August 2025 to 575 million in August 2026, an 89 percent increase in the U.S.
- Google announced multi-turn ads for AI Mode on October 28 and plans to add ten more countries, including Canada and Australia, with Brazil, Mexico and the United Kingdom slated for Q4 2026.
Why it matters
- The heavy concentration of placements in apparel and consumer electronics shows where shopper intent is strongest in AI-driven search experiences.
- Although advertisers cannot specifically target AI Overviews, they can influence eligibility through campaign type, negative keywords, and brand exclusions.
- The rapid rise in AI surface impressions suggests a growing share of shopping queries will appear within AI Answers, shifting spend from traditional search slots to these new placements.
- Parallel growth in ChatGPT ads and OpenAI’s expansion into Europe and Asia adds competitive pressure for AI-driven ad real-estate.
What this means for marketers
- Prioritize apparel and consumer electronics when planning bids for AI-Answer placements.
- Ensure all Search, Shopping, and Performance Max campaigns are active, as they are automatically eligible for AI-Answers.
- Use negative keyword lists and brand exclusions to keep ads out of irrelevant AI queries.
- Test multi-turn ad formats now that Google has opened them in the U.S.; they can capture follow-up queries in AI Mode.
- Use ADFLU’s autonomous SEO service to improve visibility in AI-generated answers, helping your brand appear organically alongside paid placements.
"all Search, Shopping, and Performance Max campaigns that exist are automatically eligible to appear in AI-Answers." Google Help Page
The bottom line
Google’s AI Answer panels are becoming a dominant venue for paid search, especially in apparel and consumer electronics. Marketers who adapt their campaigns to include these surfaces, employ smart negative keyword tactics, and explore new multi-turn ad formats will be best positioned to capture high-intent shoppers as AI reshapes the search landscape.