This week’s PPC news is dominated by one theme: AI is taking over both where ads appear and who is responsible for them. Google is pushing ads in AI Mode to ten more countries with no opt-out and launching multi-turn ads in the US, while reporting that those placements currently earn less than classic search ads. Meta switched on product browsing inside existing ads on October 28 and, from October 30, its revised Commercial Terms make advertisers responsible for what Meta’s AI generates in their ads. Both companies posted strong Q3 ad numbers. Here is what changed and what to do about it.
Our PPC news roundup for the week ending November 2, 2026 covers Google Ads, Meta Ads and Microsoft Advertising. For last week’s edition, see PPC news: week of October 30, 2026.
Google expands ads in AI Mode to 10 more countries, with no opt-out
On October 28, Google announced that ads in AI Mode are rolling out to Australia, Canada, India, Kenya, Malaysia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and Singapore, with Brazil, Mexico and the United Kingdom planned for Q4 2026. In the US, Google is also launching multi-turn ads, which can appear on follow-up questions within an AI Mode conversation and are labeled “Sponsored”. As PPC Land reports, existing Search, Shopping and Performance Max campaigns are automatically eligible through the normal auction; there is no separate targeting, no opt-out and reporting is aggregated with Search.
Google’s framing, quoted by TechCrunch, is that AI Mode queries are on average three times longer than traditional searches and that click-through rates for sponsored product listings in AI Mode are “already comparable” to organic listings. Google did not publish the actual rates.
What to do: if you advertise in the UK, expect AI Mode placements to appear in your Search and Shopping campaigns before the end of the year without any change on your side. Longer, conversational queries mean broad match and Smart Bidding will pick up more long-tail traffic; review search terms weekly and keep your negative keyword list current. Because AI Mode cannot be reported separately, watch for CTR and conversion-rate shifts at the campaign level and note the date your market goes live.
Google Q3: Search up 12%, AI Mode ads monetize lower (for now)
Alphabet’s Q3 2026 results, reported October 29, showed total revenue of $127.6 billion (up 25%), with Google Search revenue growing 12% year over year, down from 17% in Q2 and 19% in Q1, according to TechCrunch. Search Engine Roundtable’s October 30 recap highlights the comment from Google’s chief business officer Philipp Schindler that ads in AI Mode currently have lower monetization than ads in traditional search.
What to do: lower monetization for Google generally means fewer ads per AI answer, which can be good for advertisers who do show. There is nothing to change in your account, but it is a reason not to panic about AI Mode “stealing” Search traffic: Google is clearly motivated to grow ad load there over time, and the tools you already use (Search, Shopping, PMax) are the ones that will be served.
Google Ads: “All conversions” tab fully live, API v26.1, Apple Messages button test
Search Engine Roundtable’s weekly video recap for October 30 lists several smaller Google Ads changes: the “All conversions” tab is now fully rolled out in Google Ads; Google Ads API version 26.1 was released alongside an October update to the Merchant API; Google is testing an Apple Messages button in sponsored results; and AI-generated review summaries in ads now have an official help document. The same recap notes Google is testing a blend of sponsored and organic products in AI Mode shopping results.
What to do: the “All conversions” tab is worth a look if you track secondary actions (calls, form starts, add-to-carts) that are not set as primary conversions; it makes those easier to see without custom columns. If you use a feed tool or an agency that relies on the Merchant API, confirm they are on the current version before the Black Friday freeze. Store owners dealing with feed issues can start with our guide to fixing a Merchant Center suspension.
Meta turned on product browsing in existing ads on October 28
As first reported by PPC Land, Meta notified advertisers that “starting October 28, 2026, we’ll add product browsing to your existing ads.” When a user taps the ad, Meta may show an in-app experience with product information and personalized suggestions instead of sending them straight to the website. Meta’s notice claims businesses saw on average 3% more conversions with in-app product browsing, based on an experiment across roughly 117,700 advertisers from August 6 to 21, 2026. The feature is on by default; advertisers could opt out via the notice before October 28 or can switch it per ad in Advantage+ creative and destination settings.
What to do: if you run e-commerce catalog ads, check a few live ads from your phone and see what a tap actually opens. If your conversion path relies on landing-page elements (bundles, discount codes, upsells), compare the last five days of landing-page views and purchase conversion rate with the previous period. Turning it off per ad is possible if the numbers are worse; leave it on if conversions held or improved. This is a bad week to change destinations blindly with Black Friday on November 27.
Meta’s new Commercial Terms: from October 30 you are responsible for AI edits
Meta’s revised Commercial Terms took effect on October 30. According to PPC Land’s analysis, the new “AI Features” section states that advertisers are solely responsible for content Meta’s AI creates or changes in their ads, including features Meta enables itself, and acknowledges that AI features “may make mistakes and may not always produce accurate, complete, or suitable results.” Continued use after notice counts as acceptance. A Meta spokesperson said the update folds the existing generative AI ad terms into the main terms and that advertisers can switch off individual Advantage+ features.
The same article notes Meta’s Q3 2026 advertising revenue of $63.06 billion, up 26%, with impressions up 10% and average price per ad up 14%.
What to do: audit which Advantage+ creative enhancements are enabled on your active ads (text improvements, image expansion, background generation, overlays). For regulated industries (finance, health, alcohol, housing, supplements) and for anyone with legal claims in ad copy, switch off text and image generation and keep enhancements to the safe ones like music or relevant comments. For e-commerce accounts, AI enhancements often help, but you now own the consequences, so review the previews.
Meta rebuilds ad ranking around LLMs; “targeting is diminishing”
The AI Marketers newsletter for October 30, citing AdExchanger, reports that Meta has rebuilt its ad ranking on large language models. The system, referred to as GenRecs, tags each ad by traits such as brand and style read from the ad’s text and images, which Meta says helps new ads exit the learning phase sooner. Meta VP Matt Steiner, who oversees ad ranking, is quoted saying that targeting is “diminishing over time.”
What to do: this is consistent with what we see in accounts: the creative is the targeting. Put effort into distinct concepts rather than audience segments, keep 4–6 live creatives per ad set, and use a structured creative testing framework so Meta’s ranking has clear signals to learn from.
Microsoft Advertising: ads inside Bing AI Overviews, Conversions API generally available
Two Microsoft items from the same recaps: Search Engine Roundtable reports Bing is now showing ads inside its Copilot-powered AI Overviews, and The AI Marketers summarizes Microsoft Advertising’s October release notes: Conversions API is now generally available, age and gender targeting is open to every Performance Max advertiser, a new setup tool builds a business snapshot and Performance Max campaign from your website, and “messaging guidelines” (up to 40 rules for AI-written copy) are in open pilot for Performance Max and AI Max Search. Microsoft also reported Bing ad revenue up 12% for the quarter.
What to do: if you import Google campaigns into Microsoft Ads, set up the Conversions API now so server-side conversion data matches what you already send Meta and Google. The messaging guidelines pilot is the right place to lock brand terms, prices and prohibited claims before letting Microsoft’s AI write copy.
This week’s checklist
- UK, Canada, Australia and other new AI Mode markets: note the launch date and watch campaign-level CTR and conversion rate for shifts.
- Review the search terms report for longer conversational queries and add negatives where needed.
- Meta catalog ads: tap your own live ads and compare landing-page views and purchase rates since October 28.
- Audit Advantage+ creative enhancements on every active ad; switch off generation features where claims are regulated.
- Check that feed tools and API integrations are on Merchant API’s current version before the holiday freeze.
- Microsoft Ads: enable Conversions API and, if you use Performance Max, set messaging guidelines.
FAQ
Can I opt out of ads in Google AI Mode?
No. AI Mode placements are part of Search inventory and are served from existing Search, Shopping and Performance Max campaigns. There is no separate targeting, exclusion or reporting segment as of this week.
Is Meta’s product browsing feature on for all my ads?
Meta’s notice said it would be added to existing ads from October 28 by default. You can switch it per ad in the Advantage+ creative and destination settings. The notice did not state whether new ads default to on or which formats are covered.
What changed in Meta’s Commercial Terms on October 30?
An “AI Features” section was added making advertisers responsible for AI-created or AI-modified content in their ads. Meta says advertisers can disable individual Advantage+ features.
Did Google Ads become more expensive this quarter?
Google did not publish CPC data for the quarter. Search revenue grew 12% year over year, slower than earlier in 2026, and Google said AI Mode ads currently monetize lower than classic search ads. Meta, by contrast, reported average price per ad up 14%.
Should I run Microsoft Ads now that Bing shows ads in AI Overviews?
If your Google Search campaigns are profitable in the US or UK, importing them to Microsoft Ads is a low-effort test. Bing’s AI Overview ads are new, so treat them as part of normal search inventory and judge on conversions.
Need help with your campaigns?
If you want someone to keep up with these changes for you, our Google Ads management and Meta Ads management services include weekly reviews of exactly these settings. Not sure whether your account is set up for AI Mode and Advantage+ changes? Order a Google Ads audit or book a free 30-minute call.