Google rolls out suite of AI tools for advertisers at Marketing Live 2025

Google has rolled out a series of AI-powered advertising updates at its Marketing Live 2025 event, following closely on the heels of broader AI announcements at its I/O developer conference. The latest tools are designed to help advertisers adapt to a rapidly shifting search landscape, where AI-generated results are playing an increasingly prominent role.

One of the developments is a major revamp of Google’s smart bidding system. Dubbed 'Smart Bidding Exploration,' the update introduces more flexible return-on-ad-spend (ROAS) settings, allowing advertisers to target a broader range of search queries. According to Google, this change could help brands reach users at earlier stages of the decision-making process, even when queries are less directly commercial in nature.

In response to growing concerns about the impact of AI search summaries on ad visibility, Google also confirmed plans to expand ad placements within its AI-generated overviews. These summaries, which appear at the top of some search results, had previously limited ad real estate. Ads will now begin rolling out across desktop in the US, with mobile and international English-language versions to follow later this year.

The company is also experimenting with ad integration within its AI Mode chatbot interface. While this format may not carry the same impact as conventional Search ads, Google positions it as a necessary step to ensure visibility in increasingly AI-driven user journeys. Advertisers using Performance Max, Shopping, or Search campaigns with broad match will be automatically eligible for these placements.

On the creative front, Google is investing in generative AI to support advertisers’ content needs. A new image-to-video feature will allow static assets to be converted into animated videos, while an outpainting tool, initially rolled out for app campaigns, lets users expand images to different aspect ratios and formats.

The company also announced enhancements to brand visibility through Merchant Center, where retailers can now manage brand profiles, visual assets, and descriptions across Google’s surfaces. New video tools will simplify asset management and provide AI-driven suggestions for seasonal campaigns and trending content.

Interactive ad formats are also being piloted in the United States, allowing shoppers to engage directly with video content that includes embedded product information. Meanwhile, a forthcoming Asset Studio will serve as a central hub for creative production, including pre-generated content based on catalog data.

To tie it all together, Google is introducing an AI-powered assistant across its advertising platforms. Designed to support users during campaign creation and management, the assistant will act as an ever-present guide for navigating the increasingly complex ad ecosystem.

As AI continues to transform the way consumers discover information, Google’s latest tools underscore its ambition to future-proof its ad business, while offering marketers new levers to pull in an evolving digital landscape.

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