Google Search Chief Liz Reid on ads, AI, and the future of search

Liz Reid, Google’s head of Search, shared a look into how the company is navigating its transition into the AI era – and how it’s thinking about keeping its multibillion-dollar ad business alive.

Ads in AI Search. Reid confirmed that Google is beginning to roll out ads in AI mode, though she acknowledged that it’s early days.

• “We’re about to start rolling out ads in AI Mode. At this point, we don’t know [how it’ll perform],” she said. “I think it will look different over time.”

She noted that AI Mode users are submitting queries two to three times longer than in classic search, giving Google more context and intent, which could lead to more relevant, higher-quality ads.

But the company isn’t looking to simply insert ads into every AI result:

• “We don’t think we should just show ads no matter what. We should show them when they’re high quality and relevant.”

The future beyond ads? Pressed on whether AI might open the door to new business models beyond advertising, Reid didn’t rule it out, but signaled it’s still speculative.

• “Agentic [AI] potentially opens up the space for different ways to think about monetization,” she said, referring to AI agents that can take actions on users’ behalf.
• “Traditionally, the way Google has often done this is, first, build something that really has high user value, and then figure out what feels like a natural way to monetize it.”

Reid also acknowledged that some monetization ideas are still in the “tether to the moon” phase (Google-speak for ambitious, out-there brainstorming).

Context: Where Google is now. Throughout the interview, Reid pushed back on the idea that AI and Search are distinct or competing concepts. Google, she said, has been in the AI search era for years, citing innovations like BERT, MUM, and the newer AI Overviews and Search Live experiences.

She emphasized:

• AI is augmenting Search, not replacing it.
• Google is designing products for both power users and casual searchers, whether they prefer voice, text, or AI-assisted modes.
• And despite competition from new AI platforms, Google traffic is growing, especially in categories where AI Overviews thrive.

Dig deeper. Google’s Liz Reid: It isn’t AI or search; it’s AI in search

Why we care. Reid oversees what is still Google’s most lucrative product: Search. But with the rise of AI-powered tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s own Gemini, traditional search is transforming into a more conversational, generative experience.

That means richer intent signals and more precise ad targeting – a potential leap in ad effectiveness. As user behavior shifts toward AI-assisted discovery, staying visible in this new environment could be critical to staying competitive.

Bottom line. Reid’s comments portray Google as actively shaping a future where ads remain central – but in a smarter, more targeted format. As users shift toward longer, more nuanced AI queries, the opportunity to deliver high-intent, high-relevance ads could grow – if Google can strike the right balance between utility and monetization.

The interview. Google’s head of search on the company’s AI transition