WASHINGTON – Paid advertisements significantly increased in Google’s AI Overview and AI Mode, as well as ChatGPT, across major holiday shopping categories, according to an Adthena report.
The report indicated approximately 175,100 paid ad placements appeared in Google’s AI Overview and AI Mode in the United States between June and September, with apparel and consumer electronics leading the categories.
Adthena also counted 204,489 ChatGPT ad placements during the same period across five holiday-focused categories: apparel, consumer electronics, travel, toys and games, and beauty.
Google’s AI Overview appearances in the U.S. expanded by 89 percent from August 2025 to August 2026, while the United Kingdom and European Union saw a 160 percent increase, and Australia recorded a 536 percent jump, Adthena reported.
For ChatGPT advertisements, the beauty, travel, and toys and games categories collectively saw the majority of ads, at 83 percent, 69 percent, and 67 percent respectively, running on research and discovery prompts.
OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, expanded its advertising services to 31 European countries in August and seven Asian markets in September. The company stated that more than 100,000 advertisers have launched campaigns since the platform’s inception.
Google initiated multi-turn ads in the U.S. on Oct. 28 and is in the process of scaling AI Mode ads to 10 additional countries. Brazil, Mexico, and the U.K. are slated for rollout in the fourth quarter of 2026, according to the company.
Source: Search Engine Journal
