Because people are asking questions in more natural, complex ways (thanks to the AI interface), Google has to more frequently interpret intent than with traditional keyword targeting. To do this, it's using what it calls “synthetic keywords,” which are AI-generated approximations of the actual keywords someone would use if they had conducted a traditional search.

This means ads served inside of AI answers could be shown in response to searches that don’t contain any targeted keywords, but are interpreted to match the user's intent. On one hand, this could result in ads appearing in front of more qualified, high-intent users. On the other, it introduces a layer of ambiguity.

It’s clear we’re heading into a future where intent is king, and traditional keyword searches are evolving into complex prompts. Advertisers wishing to have ads appear in AI mode should rethink success metrics (impressions vs. clicks vs. on-site engagements), test broad match keywords carefully, and keep a close eye on performance data.

Suggested Reading: Search Engine Journal – Google AI Mode And The Future Of Search Monetization