Simon, David and JJ in c3's office

Ads in AI

Helping brands win visibility across AI-powered buying journeys, with strategies designed to drive commercial impact.

AI platforms are no longer just where people look for answers, they are where buying decisions start. ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, Microsoft Copilot, and Amazon Alexa for Shopping are now live advertising channels and ambitious brands need to get in early, set it up right, and measure what actually moves revenue. 

Talk to us

What is advertising in AI?

Advertising in AI refers to paid placements inside AI-powered platforms including AI search results, conversational assistants, and AI shopping tools. Unlike traditional search ads, these placements match to the context and intent of an entire conversation rather than a single keyword. 

The shift is significant. Users are no longer just typing queries into search engines they’re asking detailed questions, seeking recommendations, and making comparisons inside AI platforms. This creates a new category of high-intent advertising inventory that sits earlier in the buying journey than traditional paid search. 

Several major platforms are already open for advertising, with more launching through 2026. Brands that get in now are building presence, data, and learnings before the market matures and competition drives up costs. 

The platforms we work on

Google AI Overviews and AI Mode (note this isn’t live in the UK and EU)

Google now serves ads inside AI-generated answers across Search AI overviews and AI Mode. Any brand already running Performance Max, Ai Max, or broad match Search campaigns is automatically eligible, there is no separate opt-in. These placements are expanding rapidly: ads appeared in 25.56% of AI Overview results by October 2025, up from 5.17% in March. 

ChatGPT Ads  

OpenAI launched self-serve advertising in the UK in June 2026, following earlier rollouts in the US, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. Ads appear below ChatGPT’s responses for free and Go tier users — matched to the context of the conversation, not keywords. There is no minimum spend. CPC bidding starts from around $3–5 per click. This is a genuinely new buying motion, separate from any existing Google or Meta activity, and requires its own account setup and measurement approach. 

Microsoft Copilot Ads 

Microsoft surfaces ads inside Copilot responses across Bing, Edge, and Windows. Any brand running Performance Max through Microsoft Advertising automatically qualifies, with no additional setup required. Copilot’s Compare and Decide format performs particularly well for considered purchases, retail, and financial products. Microsoft Advertising CPCs are typically 30–70% lower than equivalent Google placements. 

Amazon Alexa for Shopping

Previously known as Rufus, Amazon’s AI shopping assistant now serves Sponsored Product and Sponsored Brand prompts directly inside product discovery conversations. Prompts are generated from product listing content and appear when users ask relevant questions. CPC pricing, available in the US, with further markets expected. Best suited to brands actively selling on Amazon with optimised product listings. 

Our approach

01

Audit

Before any new account is created, we review what you’re already running and identify which AI placements you’re already eligible for and which require new setup. For many brands already running Performance Max and broad match Search, significant AI advertising exposure is already happening without dedicated management or measurement.

 

02

Strategy

We then build a platform-by-platform strategy prioritised by audience, commercial goals, and where the early adopter opportunity is strongest. Not every platform is right for every brand. Our job is to give an honest assessment and a plan that starts with targeting your audience measurement, not guesswork. 

03

Set up

Setup for newer platforms particularly OpenAI Ads Manager requires separate account creation, client-side billing, and conversion measurement implementation. We handle the full build once access is granted and walk you through the account and billing setup before we start. 

04

Measurement

Measurement is built in from day one. Most AI ad platforms bundle their reporting or have limited attribution. We use UTM parameters for independent GA4 tracking, set up Conversion APIs for post-click measurement, and use incrementality testing to understand true causal impact rather than relying on platform-reported attribution alone.

We’ve worked with some of the biggest brands

The benefits of advertising in AI

  • Early-adopter advantage: The brands getting into AI advertising now are establishing presence, data, and creative learnings before competition drives up costs. Every major paid channel has had this window. AI advertising is at that point right now. 
  • Reach earlier in the buying journey: AI platforms sit upstream of traditional search. A user asking ChatGPT for a product recommendation or asking Google AI Mode to compare options is further back in the funnel than someone typing a branded search term and often more open to influence. 
  • High intent, active sessions: AI platform users are actively seeking information and recommendations. These are not passive impressions, ChatGPT users in particular have been described by OpenAI as highly intentional they are in the platform to accomplish something. 
  • No minimum spend on ChatGPT: OpenAI removed all minimum spend requirements in May 2026. A brand can run a meaningful test for a few hundred pounds and have post-click quality data within weeks. 
  • Context replaces keywords: AI platforms match ads to the meaning and intent of a whole conversation. This is more sophisticated targeting than keyword bidding and rewards brands with clear, relevant creative and well-described products. 
  • Complementary to existing paid search: AI advertising does not replace Google Ads or Microsoft Advertising. For Google and Microsoft, it extends existing campaigns into new placements automatically. For ChatGPT, it opens a new channel to reach audiences at a different stage of the journey. 

Why now?

Google AI Overview ad placements grew 394% between March and October 2025. Over 100 million weekly ChatGPT users are now eligible to see ads. Amazon’s Alexa for Shopping reports that AI-assisted sessions convert at 3.5 times the rate of standard sessions. These are not projected figures for a future channel they are live numbers from platforms already open for advertising. 

The benchmarks do not exist yet. There are no published industry CPCs, no established creative best practices, no attribution methodology.  

Meet the team

Want to know more?

Contact us today to take your performance to the next level.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.