Google is considering adding ads to the Gemini app, according to comments made by Alphabet’s chief business officer Philipp Schindler during the company’s first quarter 2026 earnings call. Schindler confirmed that Google’s current focus is on developing an ad format for AI Mode in Google Search first, with the Gemini app as a potential follow-up if that format proves successful.
“Ads have always been a significant part of scaling products to reach billions of users,” Schindler said. “And when done well, ads can provide valuable and relevant commercial information.” He added that the company is not rushing its plans and will share details at the appropriate time.
What Google Has Confirmed About Ads in the Gemini App
Google has not announced a specific ad format for Gemini or provided a timeline for its rollout. Schindler’s comments indicate that ads within the Gemini app are actively being considered and that AI Mode is serving as a testing ground before any broader implementation.
Reports from late 2025 suggested that Google was already exploring ads in Gemini at that time, but a separate executive declined to confirm those plans when asked. The earnings call for the first quarter of 2026 offered a more open acknowledgment that the feature is under evaluation.
Why AI Mode Is Google’s Testing Ground for Gemini Ads
Google confirmed this week that ads will be coming to Apple Maps starting in the summer of 2026. Currently, the Gemini app operates without ads. It offers a paid subscription called Google AI Pro at $20 a month, which provides access to enhanced Gemini features. Since its launch, the free version has remained ad-free.
Google has not yet specified what an ad within Gemini would look like, whether it would appear during conversations or how it would be labeled.
