Buying while asking; Google embeds AI shopping feature into Search and Gemini

Google is adding a new feature that allows consumers to directly purchase products when getting AI-driven answers from its search engine and Gemini chatbot. This is part of its overall plan to more directly monetize the process of users using artificial intelligence. The company stated in a letter to the advertising industry on Wednesday that its AI model for Google Search is testing a new ad format that allows retailers and other advertisers to showcase products. Google said that users can now directly purchase Etsy and Wayfair products within Gemini. The new "Direct Offers" feature added to the AI model will allow brands to offer discounts to potential shoppers. "We are not only bringing ads into the AI experience of the search engine but also reshaping the essence of advertising," said Vidhya Srinivasan, Vice President of Advertising and Commerce at Google.