Google makes AI ads transparent — but trusts the liars
google now requires advertisers to disclose ai-generated ads in the 'my ad center' panel, but self-reporting is voluntary unless local laws apply, raising concerns about enforcement.
google is rolling out a global disclosure feature for ai-generated ads across search, youtube, and discover, accessible via the 'my ad center' info icon. ads created with google's own generative tools will auto-tag as ai, while externally created ads require advertisers to manually check a box to indicate synthetic content. google stated it will not independently verify these third-party claims, relying instead on existing policies against misleading ads and local regulations. this update shifts away from election-only mandates, aiming to inform consumers as brands increasingly use ai to cut production costs. the lack of automated detection for non-google tools creates an enforcement gap that relies on the integrity of the advertiser.