Google has begun testing ads in AI Mode, its AI-powered search mode. The test covers users who have enabled the Personal Intelligence feature and connected their apps — such users previously saw no ads. Google announced the test on October 16 in an official confirmation to Search Engine Land; on October 17, The Keyword published details. The decision marks a sharp reversal of the company's earlier position: in March, Google said users with connected apps would see no ads and that this would hold «for now».

The March Promise and the October Reversal

Personal Intelligence originally launched as an ad-free experience in AI Mode. In March, Google openly said users who connected their apps would not see ads, adding that this would not change «for now». By October, the company had reconsidered: in the official confirmation sent to Search Engine Land on October 16, Google said it was beginning to test ads for AI Mode users with connected apps. So, just months after the feature launched, its ad-free era is coming to an end.

How the Test Works

Personal Intelligence lets AI Mode produce more relevant answers based on limited data from connected Google apps — insights and inferences. For example, it uses not the emails in Gmail or the photos in Google Photos themselves, but the general insights drawn from them to enrich the AI's answer. In the new test, the same mechanism is being extended to advertising: insights and inferences from connected apps can now be used to personalize ads in AI Mode.

These signals are not the only source in ad selection. According to Google, ads still rely on the query text, the context of the AI-generated answer, and the user's interests. What's new is that the context of connected apps now joins these factors — Google says this makes ads more useful. In other words, insights from connected apps do not replace the existing ad-selection factors; they add an extra layer on top of them.

The "Directly" Rule

Google documented the change in the connected-apps answers on its Search Help page:

«Search may rely on the insights, snippets and inferences from these sources to personalize your experience. The same information may also be used to make ads more useful.» — Google's Search Help page

The page explains that the key distinction hinges on the word «directly»: ads are not selected directly based on the contents of a Gmail inbox or a Google Photos archive. However, the insights drawn from that content can determine which ad appears. This entry appeared on Google's Search Help page about connected apps — meaning the change has already been added to the company's official help documentation. Google has also updated its privacy policy to clarify how connected-app data is used.

Safeguards

Google announced several safeguards alongside the test. First, connecting apps is strictly voluntary — users can disconnect them at any time; nothing is forced. Second, ads are not selected directly based on the contents of a Gmail inbox or a Google Photos archive: no individual email or photo will become an ad target. Third, advertisers cannot access connected apps — they only see the selected ad, nothing more. Fourth, sensitive categories are not used in ad personalization. With these limits, the company signals that it plans to run the test without abandoning personal-data protection.

Who Can Participate

Connected apps are currently available to users aged 18 and over in 188 countries and territories. For now, you can connect Gmail and Google Photos, plus — in the US and in English only — Google Calendar. This requires a personal Google account and the Personalized Recommendations setting turned on. In the coming months, Google plans to replace the existing Web & App Activity and Search Personalization settings with two new controls — Search Services History and Personalized Recommendations. The switch will not happen all at once but gradually over the next few months: users will start seeing settings related to connected apps and ad personalization under new names.

What Changed

In March, Google spoke of no ads «for now» for users with connected apps. The official confirmation of October 16 shows that this position has changed. The company has not yet announced anything about a broader rollout of the test, new management tools, or reports for advertisers.

The test affects only users who have connected their apps: because connection is voluntary, those who have not enabled it will continue using AI Mode as before.