Google ads arrive in AI Mode in Canada, in English only for now
Partner · Strategy, advertising and measurement
Since October 28, 2026, Google has been showing ads inside AI Mode answers in Search in Canada. Your existing Search, Shopping and Performance Max campaigns are automatically eligible: you cannot opt them out separately from Search. For these placements, Google's help page names English only. Searches made in French are therefore not affected for now.
What is changing
On October 28, Google announced ads in AI Mode in ten countries: Australia, Canada, India, Kenya, Malaysia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and Singapore. Google plans to add more countries by the end of 2026, including Brazil, Mexico and the United Kingdom.
According to the Google Ads help page:
- Text ads and Shopping ads can appear within the AI-written answer or alongside it. They are labeled "Sponsored."
- Existing Search, Shopping and Performance Max campaigns are eligible with no special setting. No separate campaign or budget is required.
- Broad match, AI Max for Search campaigns, Shopping and Performance Max can serve on queries related to the context of the conversation. Exact and phrase match keywords only serve on queries that show direct commercial intent.
- Bidding and billing stay the same as Search: the same auction, the same cost per click, no extra fees.
- There is no separate report. AI Mode data is included in your campaign metrics and in the search terms report, without being broken out.
- Some placements add a short explanation written by Google's AI. Advertisers cannot write, edit or remove it.
Google is also launching ads in AI Mode follow-up questions in the United States. The announcement does not say when they will reach other countries.
Businesses affected
Any business running Search, Shopping or Performance Max campaigns in English in Canada is affected. For a Quebec small business, this mostly means campaigns aimed at Ontario, the rest of Canada or English-speaking customers in Quebec. Online stores are especially concerned, since Shopping ads are among the eligible formats.
Campaigns that run only in French are not directly affected for now. Ads placed above and below Google's AI Overviews, on the other hand, are already available in every language where those summaries exist. How these summaries affect your visits is explained in Google AI Overviews: how do they affect your website traffic?
Availability in Canada and in French
Canada is one of the countries where ads show in AI Overviews and in AI Mode. For these placements, Google's help page lists a single language: English. It also states that its list may not be complete. Google has given no date for French.
In Quebec, the Charter of the French Language requires commercial advertising to be in French. If your English campaigns also reach customers in Quebec, check that your French campaigns cover the same products and services.
What we recommend
- Mark October 28, 2026 in your reports. It is the reference date for reading how your English campaigns aimed at Canada evolve.
- Check the search terms report more often. According to Google, AI Mode queries are about three times longer than traditional searches (measured in the United States). Long questions are the most visible clue of this traffic. Some terms stay hidden: the reason is explained in Google Ads: why some search terms are hidden.
- Choose your match types carefully. Broad match, AI Max and Performance Max expose your ads to exploratory questions. Exact and phrase match keywords limit them to direct commercial queries. The details are in Google Ads keywords: managing match types and negative keywords.
- Update your negative keywords and brand exclusions. They are the only levers Google offers to control serving in AI Mode.
- Keep a complete Shopping feed. Your products can now appear in an AI-written answer. Well-filled titles, images, prices, shipping and returns increase your chances of being presented well there.
Monitoring your campaigns and search terms is part of our Google Ads management service.
Since October 28, 2026, your English Search, Shopping and Performance Max ads can show in Google AI Mode in Canada. You cannot opt out separately: negative keywords and brand exclusions remain your levers. French is not yet available for these placements, and Google has not given a date.
The other ad space in AI answers in Canada is measured in ChatGPT ads in Canada: results from our B2B test.
Frequently asked questions about ads in AI Mode
Can I stop my ads from showing in Google AI Mode?
No. Google does not let you remove your ads from AI Mode or AI Overviews separately from Search. Negative keywords and brand exclusions are the only controls available.
Do my French ads show in AI Mode in Quebec?
Not for now. For ads placed in AI Mode, Google's help page names English only. Google has given no date for French.
Does an ad in AI Mode cost more?
No. Ads go through the same auction as Search, with the same cost per click or the same conversion-based bidding. Google charges no extra fees.
How can I tell whether my ads were seen in AI Mode?
Google provides no separate report. AI Mode results are included in your campaigns' usual metrics and in the search terms report, mixed in with the rest. Long search terms or terms phrased as questions are the most visible clue.
- Google, Ads in AI Mode expand to 10 new countries, Shashi Thakur, October 28, 2026. Source for the ten countries, the upcoming countries, ads in follow-up questions in the United States and query length.
- Google Ads Help, About ads in AI-powered experiences in Google Search, accessed October 29, 2026. Source for countries and language, formats, eligibility, match types, bidding, reporting and AI-written explanations.
- Google Ads Help, About ads and AI Overviews, accessed October 29, 2026.
Gabriel almost always takes your first call and carries out your audit. He builds the strategy starting from your growth goal: where to put your budget, which market to test and how to connect each lead to a real sale in your CRM. He mainly leads engagements for three goals: Optimize the profitability of your digital campaigns, Develop a new market, and Generate demand and growth. With Geneviève, he also works on organic search (SEO), AI visibility (GEO) and conversion rate optimization (CRO). The sales a Google Ads or Meta Ads campaign brings in depend on the page that receives the click. He writes mainly about marketing strategy, paid advertising and measurement.
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