What we learned at Google’s ‘Future of Search’ Summit

This year’s Future of Search Summit from Google made one thing clear: Search is no longer just about keywords—it’s about intent, experience, and anticipation. If you’re still thinking in terms of traditional campaigns and match types, you’re going to get left behind. Here’s a quick download of our most important takeaways.  

TL;DR

Google’s AI is no longer just matching search queries, it’s predicting what users want before they even know it themselves. That means broader product adoption like PMax, AI Max, and Broad Match are no longer just nice to have—they are integral to Google’s growth plans. It’s your creative, content, and feed quality that will determine your success.  

Search is growing… fast

• Q2 earnings call showed +12% YoY growth in Q2, up from 10% the previous quarter
• This growth is driven by AI Experiences and AI Overviews, and it’s set to accelerate even further in H2.
• Ads in AI Overviews are currently being tested in the US, with UK rollout expected late 2024 or early 2025

 

Consumer behaviour is changing (again)

• Users are predictably unpredictable
• On average, people interact with their mobile 130 times a day across multiple touchpoints
• Google is doubling down on their Search, Stream, Scroll, Shop messaging, reiterating the need for full funnel strategies
• Gen Z (18–24) are the most engaged across Google’s inventory

 

Product adoption is evolving

Google Lens and Circle to Search usage is rising. That means product feeds need to be structured, robust, and exhaustive to be at the forefront. Search is becoming more conversational, so traditional keywords won’t cut it. Google is shifting from matching to predicting.  

AI Search is looking for:

• Next-gen intent signals
• Anticipated commercial needs
• Deeper opportunities to connect

 

Campaign types that make the cut

If you want your ads to appear in AI-generated results, here’s what qualifies:

• Search: Only AI Max or Broad Match
• Shopping: High-quality feeds essential to maximise reach
• PMax: Essential, as usual

Additionally, your website content matters more than ever. Landing pages need to be useful, relevant, and aligned with EEAT principles. Now’s the time to get even closer to SEO and content teams.  

Reporting (still in progress)

Right now, reporting for AI Mode is limited. Breakdowns of where your ads appeared aren’t available yet, but new match types like AI Max are starting to appear in search term reports. Keep an eye on this space.  

Exclusions & Shopping

• Asset exclusions and more refined exclusion controls are on the roadmap.
• Try It On and Google Shopping Agent was mentioned. More to come here.

 

Final thought

Search is being rebuilt in real time. What matters now is intent, quality and adaptability. We don’t want to just tick every box in a media plan, we’ve got to understand what users want before they’ve even typed a word. Now’s the time to make sure your content, creative and product data are working harder than ever. Want to talk about how this changes your media strategy? Let’s chat.