Google rules out ads in Gemini — for now

Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis says Gemini won’t get ads — at least for now — as Google prioritizes trust and core assistant quality over monetization.

What’s new. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Hassabis said Google has “no plans” to introduce ads into Gemini, emphasizing a focus on building a better, more capable assistant across use cases and form factors. He suggested that monetization can wait while the technology matures.

The contrast. The comments come just days after OpenAI announced it would begin testing ads in the free and low-cost tiers of ChatGPT. Hassabis called the move “interesting,” suggesting it may reflect revenue pressure rather than long-term product strategy.

Why we care. Google’s repeated refusal to place ads in Gemini signals that AI assistant monetization won’t mirror search or social anytime soon, limiting near-term ad inventory in conversational AI. As competitors like OpenAI move ahead with ads, this creates a split ecosystem where advertisers may need to test new formats outside Google first.

Longer term, Google’s stance suggests that any future Gemini ad products — if they arrive — will likely be more constrained, trust-focused, and slower to scale, shaping how brands plan for AI-driven media.

Not the first denial. This marks the second time Google leadership has publicly ruled out ads in Gemini. In December, Google Ads president Dan Taylor said in a statement on X that ads were not coming to Gemini in 2026, signaling internal alignment on keeping the product ad-free, at least in the near term.

Trust at stake. Hassabis expressed skepticism about how advertising fits into a deeply personal AI assistant, warning that recommendations must remain unbiased and genuinely helpful. While ads could work in theory, he said poor execution could quickly erode user trust.

Bottom line. Google, whose core business is advertising, is showing restraint in AI assistants — at least publicly — to avoid blurring the line between help and influence as Gemini evolves.

Dig Deeper. Google’s AI boss: No plans for ads in Gemini (Substack)

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