Exact Match in Google AI Mode: What It Means for Your Ads

Google AI Mode ads now show on nearly 30% of US commercial queries, and Google is testing exact and phrase match there. Here's what it means for your account. In this episode of Growing Ecommerce, Mike Ryan and Chris Scharmueller unpack two stories that complicate Google's AI search narrative. A new study found text ads on almost a third of commercial queries in AI Mode, and 70% of those showed multiple advertisers. But Google shares no performance data, and advertisers can't opt in or out. Is 30% a sign of scale, or a sign that most of AI Mode still isn't making money for Google? Then comes the surprise. For a year, Google said broad match or AI Max was the only way into AI Mode, and it has now confirmed a test serving exact and phrase match keywords there. Mike and Chris ask what that says about how well AI Mode ads really perform. They also cover why exact match still wins across thousands of ad accounts, where smart bidding exploration fits in, and why conversational queries may sit further up the funnel than Google admits. If you manage Google Ads for an ecommerce brand and you're deciding how far to follow Google's AI Max push, this one's for you. **Key Takeaways** AI Mode text ads show on ~30% of US commercial queries. Europe is effectively zero so far. 70% of AI Mode ad placements show multiple advertisers, but brands rarely appear both cited and advertised. Ads skew toward higher-CPC keywords. Advertisers can't control whether they serve in AI Mode or see how those ads perform. Google's exact and phrase match test cuts against its line that keywords can't work in AI search. Across smec-managed accounts, exact match still beats broad match, which beats AI Max, on efficiency. Your product data feed drives both organic and paid visibility in AI surfaces. **🔗 Resources & Links** - SE Ranking AI Mode ads study via Search Engine Land: \[ADD URL] - smec (Smarter Ecommerce): https://www.smarter-ecommerce.com - smec on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/smarter-ecommerce-gmbh - Mike Ryan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeryanretail/ - Christian Scharmüller on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-scharm%C3%BCller/ - Subscribe for a new Growing Ecommerce episode every week — Growing Ecommerce is brought to you by smec (Smarter Ecommerce), helping 350+ global retailers manage €680M+ in annual ad spend by combining AI-powered PPC software with human strategic expertise. #AIMode #GoogleAds #GrowingEcommerce #PPC #AIMax #PaidSearch #Ecommerce **About Smarter Ecommerce (smec):** Smarter Ecommerce (smec) empowers e-commerce brands with AI-driven PPC automation that optimizes for profit and business outcomes while maintaining strategic control. The platform activates first-party data - profit margins, customer lifetime value, and key business metrics - to automate campaign optimization toward goals like profitability and efficient growth, while detailed campaign insights provide full transparency and enable PPC teams to focus on strategic oversight rather than manual execution. As a Google Premier Partner and three-time Microsoft Retail Partner of the Year, smec manages over €500 million in ad spend and drives €5B+ in annual e-commerce revenue for 350+ global retail clients including THG, Snipes, REWE, and Intersport. **Make sure to follow smec - Smarter Ecommerce for more performance marketing insights:** smec - Smarter Ecommerce: https://www.smarter-ecommerce.com LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/smarter-ecommerce-gmbh Newsletter: https://smarter-ecommerce.com/en/newsletter/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smarterecommerce/