Google weighs buying AI ad-content firm as search ad growth slows

Google is exploring new ways to make money from AI search and is reviewing the purchase of a company that builds advertising content with AI, according to The Information. The company's corporate development team is looking at the acquisition, the outlet reported on November 10, 2026; no target or deal terms were disclosed.

The move comes as Google's search advertising business shows slower growth. In its third-quarter earnings, Google said search ad revenue growth slowed to 12% year over year, down from 19% in the first quarter and 17% in the second quarter. The day after the earnings release, on the 29th, the stock fell about 13%.

Advertisers, meanwhile, are describing pressure on the buying side. Six advertisers and agencies told The Information they are shifting budget away from Google ads, partly toward Meta. Los Angeles ad company Cleverly found that over the past eight months it could not spend its full $2,000 daily Google search ad budget.

Google's AI Mode draws longer queries than its standard search, which Google says are about three times longer on average. Ad management firm Optmyzr found return on ad spend across 21,000 accounts fell 3.8% in the second quarter and 2.9% in the third quarter.

Google is also paying customer data management firm Hightouch to support advertiser data integration and is working with Zapier, according to the report. Google chief business officer Phillip Schindler is among the executives overseeing the ad business as these changes take shape.