Google’s latest updates signal a clear shift: the age of AI-first advertising is fully here. Announced at Google Marketing Live, the new releases go beyond powering targeting and optimisation, they are making creative a lot more accessible.
If you are a brand advertising online who has minimal creative budget, this affects you.
What’s new? Google is now offering AI-generated creative-images, text, even video-built directly into Ads and Merchant Center, for free. We just need to add a product feed or a few basic inputs and the platform will generate creative assets ready to deploy. Perfect for smaller brands looking to benefit from creative advertising.
However, this isn’t quite the game-changer for larger brands because the bar is already higher and serious players have already been experimenting in this area. Brands competing in saturated markets are not just trying to show up – they are trying to stand out. AI-generated content from platforms like Google is fast and scalable, but it is also generic by design. That might work for performance filler, but it does not build distinction, drive brand equity, or create content that earns attention (or conversions). For large brands, they need to provide the experiential angle to win.
What did Google announce?
Google’s latest batch of features includes:
- AI-generated product imagery and lifestyle scenes: Auto-generated visuals based on existing product shots.
- Ad text suggestions and auto-optimised copy: Powered by Gemini, Google’s flagship LLM.
- Video generation capabilities (experimental): Basic short-form video created directly within the platform.
- AI-enhanced Shopping ads: Search-generated, interactive experiences (including virtual try-ons and 3D spins).
- New Performance Max upgrades: Better asset creation, reporting, and optimisation-all via AI assistance.
This is not just about creative, it is about Google entrusting more and more of the funnel to AI. They’re making it fast, scalable, and accessible – but not necessarily distinctive. For budget-conscious advertisers or resource-strapped teams, it is a welcome toolkit. The barrier to entry has just been lowered.
Your brand is your asset
There is no doubt these tools are a great step for brands with limited creative budgets. But if your goal is to differentiate, create attention-grabbing content, or scale with precision, you will quickly hit the ceiling of what this automation can offer.
That is where Found comes in.
Your brand is your asset. Your creative us your stand-out. We are firm believers in the value of AI-generated content – it is a real game-changer when it comes to enhancing a brand, delivering multi-message variant, at speed, and at scale. We build creative ecosystems designed to perform. AI is one of the tools we use, but it is guided by insight, refined by people, and always shaped to match your brand, your audience, and your performance goals.
Our Take
Google’s announcements are exciting-but they are also a reminder: if everyone can access the same creative, that creative is no longer your competitive edge. The experience, 1st party data strategies and blending the shopping experience with the brand message, content and PR is the winning game. The brands that stand out will be the ones who use AI to push their ideas further, not flatten them. Those who plug insight into creative-not just prompts into tools.
If you’re ready to adapt your Creative strategy to the age of AI, we’re here to help you lead the way.
