Google’s Ads chief, Vidhya Srinivasan, shared her vision for 2026 in her annual letter. She focuses on connecting ads, commerce, and AI across Search, YouTube, and Gemini.
The Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) is expanding rapidly. It now powers real purchases from Etsy and Wayfair in AI Mode and Gemini for U.S. shoppers.
Hundreds of companies show interest. UCP goes beyond retail to support agentic commerce in many areas.
Google AI Mode Ads: UCP Expansion and Agentic Commerce
UCP, built with Shopify and backed by over 20 companies at launch, acts as a link for shopping, payments, and AI agents. It lets shoppers buy directly in AI Mode.
This moves agentic commerce from idea to real use in 2026. Google sees big growth in Gemini assets, with 70 million in Q4 2025 alone across AI Max and Performance Max. Veo 3 video tool joins Google Ads Asset Studio.
AI Max unlocks billions of new searches for advertisers.
Also read about: Google Analytics Growth Engine: AI to Boost Business Growth
New AI Mode Ads and Features
Google tests a new ad format in AI Mode. It highlights sponsored retailers for relevant queries. This helps shoppers find easy buy options early in their search.
The test expands to travel and more categories. Direct Offers grows beyond price deals. Now it includes loyalty perks and product bundles.
Businesses share tailored offers in AI Mode. Google also uses AI to match creators with brands by analyzing content and audience.
Creators are seen as trusted tastemakers per Google/Kantar studies. These tools give advertisers better reach and shoppers better experiences.
More details may come at Google Marketing Live in the spring. Advertisers in Mumbai and India can prepare for these AI-driven changes. They bring new ways to connect commerce and search.
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