Google wants to use generative AI to make ad campaigns automatically

(Image credit: Shutterstock / Sundry Photography)

Google is apparently planning to use generative AI in its advertising business to make new campaigns on an automated basis.

The Financial Times claims to have seen an internal presentation at the tech giant that shows its intentions to use AI to generate new advertisements that draw from those already created by human hands.

Using the same AI system that powers its AI writer and ChatGPT rival, Bard, whole campaigns can be created that resemble those created by people. AI is already used by Google to create simple phrases to entice customers with its ads, but this is on a new level.

AI 'remixing'

The presentation reveals that advertisers only need to supply limited material as jumping off points, such as text, images and videos, and the AI will then take care of the rest, constructing complete ads in numerous variations in order to target specific markets or goals.

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The FT also claims that a person familiar with the presentation expressed their concerns that the new generative AI could lead to the spread of misinformation, given AI chatbots propensity to state falsehoods in a confident manner, something we have seen plenty of with ChatGPT, and spelled complete disaster for Google's own aforementioned Bard.

“It is optimized to convert new customers and has no idea what the truth is,” they said.

Google also told the publication that it plans to "put firm guardrails in place to prevent such errors" as the AI rolls out within the upcoming months.

The generative AI will form part of Performance Max, launched by Google in 2020 to make ad copy, determine its budget and where it goes using an algorithm. It comes as the ad industry faces difficult times, as businesses tighten their belts and privacy policies hamper their use of personal data. Google's own ad business lost 4% in revenue in Q4 last year.

The news is the latest in a long line of stories of big tech developing and integrating their own AI systems. Microsoft, who have invested heavily in ChatGPT, are appropriating its models to use in virtually all its mainline services.

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Lewis Maddison is a Reviews Writer for TechRadar. He previously worked as a Staff Writer for our business section, TechRadar Pro, where he had experience with productivity-enhancing hardware, ranging from keyboards to standing desks. His area of expertise lies in computer peripherals and audio hardware, having spent over a decade exploring the murky depths of both PC building and music production. He also revels in picking up on the finest details and niggles that ultimately make a big difference to the user experience.