After OpenAI started advertising tests in ChatGPT, all eyes turned to Google’s Gemini application. During Alphabet’s 2026 first quarter financial results call, Google Chief Operating Officer Philipp Schindler was asked whether ads would be shown in the Gemini application. Schindler did not announce an immediate advertising plan for Gemini, but it did open a clear door that shows that Google has not completely ruled out this possibility.
OpenAI’s ad testing includes logged-in adult users on ChatGPT Free and Go plans in the US; Ads are not shown in Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Education plans. Google did not close the door to advertising in the Gemini application. Google’s current priority is not to add ads directly to the Gemini application. The company is first maturing its artificial intelligence experiences in Search, especially its advertising model on the AI Mode side.
According to Schindler’s statement, if Google finds an ad format that does not disrupt the user experience in AI Mode, is shown at the right moment and works, it can later move the same approach to the Gemini application. This statement shows that Gemini continues to remain ad-free today, but the possibility of switching to an ad-supported model in the long term is on the table. Google is in no rush on this issue. The company already has a large revenue structure running on Search, YouTube and subscriptions.
In Alphabet’s first quarter 2026 results, total revenue increased to $109.9 billion. It was announced that Google Search queries have reached an all-time high. The issue of advertising is becoming increasingly critical for artificial intelligence companies. ChatGPT, Gemini and similar chat bots use serious processing power every time they generate a response. As the number of free users increases, this cost also increases.
Subscription packages cover some of this burden, but to continue free access on a large scale, companies are turning to additional revenue models. Advertising is one of the most well-known and fastest scalable options at this point. This is why OpenAI’s start of advertising testing on ChatGPT was an important threshold. The company states that ads will not influence responses, will be clearly labeled, and advertisers will not have access to user chats.
This model shows that advertising in artificial intelligence applications will proceed with different rules than classical search engine advertisements. Stages such as the context given by the user in the chat, product research, price comparison or recommendation request can become valuable in terms of advertising. One of the reasons why Google moves slowly is the difficulty on the measurement side. A query such as “best laptop under 1000 dollars” in the search engine directly conveys purchasing intent.
In the artificial intelligence conversation, the same process does not consist of a single query. The user can first compare the models, then change his budget, then explain the usage scenario and finally approach the purchasing decision. This structure makes it more complicated to measure whether the ad actually affects the purchasing decision. Google’s advantage is its long history in ad technology. The company has been demonstrating for years that advertising plays a key role in funding free products that reach billions of users.
This line is also maintained in Schindler’s statement. Google emphasizes that the ad is only meaningful if it is useful and shown at the right moment. This discourse shows that if advertising comes to Gemini, the company will position it around maintaining free access and helping the user. The picture on the Gemini side is clear for now. There is no announced advertising date for the application. Google is first testing artificial intelligence ads within AI Mode and Search.
If successful results are obtained from these tests, the Gemini application may be the next stop of the same model. A new era opened in artificial intelligence chat bots with ChatGPT’s start of advertising testing. In this period, competition will not be limited to which model responds better. Advertising models that do not disturb the user, do not harm trust and maintain free access will also be one of the important topics of the artificial intelligence war.
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