Updated
Updated · TechCrunch · Jul 9
Google Adds AI Ad Disclosure to My Ad Center Across 3 Major Surfaces
Updated
Updated · TechCrunch · Jul 9

Google Adds AI Ad Disclosure to My Ad Center Across 3 Major Surfaces

3 articles · Updated · TechCrunch · Jul 9

Summary

  • Google is rolling out a “how this ad was made” option in My Ad Center, letting users see whether an ad was created or edited with AI.
  • The feature appears through the three-dot menu or info icon on ads in Google Search, YouTube and Google Discover, extending AI disclosure beyond the election ads Google already required to be labeled.
  • Google will automatically apply the label when advertisers use its own generative AI ad tools, but ads made elsewhere rely on advertisers to self-report AI use through a new control.
  • The move targets a growing risk that AI-generated product imagery can cut costs and expand creative options while making synthetic visuals look like real product photos; some markets may require labels by law.

Insights

Could ambiguous disclosure rules on AI-generated ads in New York backfire, confusing both advertisers and consumers about what's real and what's synthetic?
With consumer fatigue toward AI-generated content rising, will mandatory disclosures actually restore trust, or simply fuel skepticism about all advertising?