Foreword
Google is rolling out its "AI Power Pack" in Q1 2026, introducing three game-changing innovations that reshape how businesses connect with customers. From conversational campaign management to AI-powered shopping experiences and seamless video commerce, these tools represent the future of digital advertising.
Think of Ads Advisor (also called Campaign Co-pilot) as having an expert strategist available 24/7 within your Google Ads interface. This conversational AI allows you to manage campaigns using plain language rather than navigating complex menus and reports.
Simply ask questions like "What trends am I seeing this month?" or "How should I reallocate my budget for better ROI?" and Ads Advisor analyses your data, identifies opportunities, and provides actionable recommendations. This democratises sophisticated campaign optimisation, making expert-level strategy accessible to advertisers of all experience levels. Whether you're troubleshooting performance issues or exploring new opportunities, Ads Advisor acts as your always-on consultant.
Piloted on 11 January 2026, AI Mode Shopping Ads represent a fundamental shift in e-commerce advertising. These ads appear within Google's AI-powered search experiences, using advanced language models to match products with complex, conversational queries that traditional keyword matching can't handle.
Consider a shopper searching: "I need a modern rug for a high-traffic dining room where I host parties, something easy to clean." AI Mode understands these nuanced requirements and surfaces relevant products from advertisers who meet the specific criteria. This isn't keyword matching but genuine comprehension of user intent.
The experience also includes Direct Offers, allowing retailers to present exclusive discounts directly within AI Mode at the perfect moment. When shoppers are ready to buy, they can see special promotions like "20% off" without leaving the search experience.
Behind this innovation is the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), a new open standard co-developed with industry leaders including Shopify, Etsy, Wayfair, Target, and Walmart. UCP enables seamless checkout experiences where shoppers can complete purchases from eligible retailers directly within AI Mode using Google Pay or PayPal, with saved payment methods and shipping information. Retailers maintain control whilst reducing cart abandonment and capturing high-intent sales.
Google is extending commerce capabilities to YouTube through the Universal Commerce Protocol, allowing users to move from product discovery in videos directly to purchase without leaving the platform. This creates a unified shopping experience across Google's ecosystem, turning entertainment and education moments into frictionless buying opportunities.
Shoppers can now discover products through their favourite creators and complete transactions instantly via Google Pay, maintaining the viewing experience whilst enabling creators and brands to monetise content more effectively.
These Q1 2026 innovations signal a fundamental shift: advertising isn't about interrupting customers but being genuinely helpful at the right moment. Success in this new landscape requires embracing conversational commerce, enriching product data beyond keywords, and preparing for AI-mediated shopping experiences.
As AI Mode expands globally and these tools mature, businesses that adapt quickly will reach customers at the exact moment they're ready to buy, with exactly what they need, in the most frictionless way possible. The AI power pack is here, and the only question is how quickly you'll integrate it into your digital strategy.
