At Google I/O 2026, the company announced its most significant search overhaul in 25 years, integrating Gemini 3.5 Flash to launch new AI-driven ad formats. These transform ads from passive displays into active conversational services. Key features include an AI Shopping Interpreter that generates personalized purchase rationales, and interactive Shopping Assistants for real-time brand support. Ads are now seamlessly woven into AI summaries and search results, aiming to shorten the path from query to conversion. The new formats, currently in U.S. testing, mark a shift from information matching to AI-facilitated commercial transactions, raising industry discussions about search fairness and user experience.