Google Calls Gemini Ad Rumors ‘Inaccurate’ After Report Sparks Concerns

Enjoy the clean, ad-free interface of your Gemini chats while you can, because the billboard era of artificial intelligence might be just around the corner.

According to an exclusive report from Adweek, Google has started conversations with advertisers about placing ads directly within its Gemini chatbot, with a target rollout set for 2026.

The report claims that Google representatives have held separate calls with at least two advertising clients recently to discuss the move. According to agency buyers who spoke to Adweek on the condition of anonymity, the tech giant is looking to monetize its AI platform.

While specific details on what these ads would look like — or how much they would cost — remain under wraps, the sources indicated that Google has not yet shared any prototypes or technical specs. However, they did clarify one key detail: this plan is reportedly separate from the “AI Mode” advertisements already seen in Google’s Search experience.

Google fires back with a firm denial

Following the report’s release, Dan Taylor, vice president of Global Ads at Google, took to X to dispel the rumors.

“This story is based on uninformed, anonymous sources who are making inaccurate claims. There are no ads in the Gemini app and there are no current plans to change that,” Taylor wrote.

The conversation about putting ads in chatbots is heating up across the tech world. Just last week, rumors swirled that rival OpenAI was preparing to launch ads on ChatGPT, claims that OpenAI executives also denied.

However, industry watchers note that running massive AI models is incredibly expensive. Ads could help subsidize these costs, allowing companies to invest more in model improvements or offer higher usage limits to free users.

For Google, introducing ads into Gemini could be a logical, if controversial, step. The company already operates the world’s largest digital advertising business across Search, YouTube, and millions of websites. Leveraging that existing network to place ads in a new, popular product like Gemini could be a significant additional revenue stream.

Also read: Google rolls out Gemini 3 Deep Think for AI Ultra users, which explains how Google’s most advanced reasoning mode uses advanced parallel reasoning.