Google has announced a series of significant updates to its Search and Discover platforms, introducing new AI-driven features and a redesigned approach to how users interact with advertisements. The changes aim to streamline navigation and integrate artificial intelligence more deeply into the user’s information discovery process.
A New Approach to Sponsored Content
In a notable shift, Google is introducing a feature that allows users to collapse sponsored results on its Search pages. By tapping a new “Hide sponsored results” button, the block of ads at the top of the page will be hidden. However, the ads are not removed entirely. A “Sponsored Results” label will remain visible and can follow the user as they scroll, ensuring the presence of sponsored content remains prominent.
This new “Sponsored” header will appear both above and below the AI Overviews that summarize search queries, as well as at the bottom of the page for all text ads. According to Google, this design simplifies navigation while keeping the ad volume consistent, never showing more than four text ads in a single group. The change is being rolled out across both desktop and mobile platforms.
AI-Powered Content Feeds
Beyond advertising, Google is leveraging AI to enhance content discovery. When users search for sports-related topics, a new “What’s New” button will appear, presenting a feed of trending updates and news articles. This feature is set to launch in the U.S. in the coming weeks.
Similarly, the Discover feed within the Google app will now feature AI-powered short previews of trending topics. Users can expand these previews for more detailed information and links to various publishers. While Google states this is designed to help users stay informed, it arrives as many publishers express concern over declining search traffic due to the rise of AI-generated answers.
Implications for the MENA Tech Ecosystem
For startups and digital marketers across the MENA region, these updates present both challenges and opportunities. The redesigned ad format requires a re-evaluation of SEM strategies, as the new collapsible yet persistent “Sponsored” label could change user engagement patterns with paid results. Marketers will need to monitor campaign performance closely to adapt to the new user interface. Furthermore, the increasing prominence of AI Overviews at the top of search results could significantly impact organic traffic, forcing MENA-based businesses and content creators to refine their SEO tactics to maintain visibility. The shift emphasizes the need for high-quality, authoritative content that is more likely to be featured in Google’s AI-powered summaries.
About Google
Google is a global technology company specializing in Internet-related services and products, which include online advertising technologies, a search engine, cloud computing, software, and hardware. It is considered one of the Big Five American information technology companies, alongside Amazon, Apple, Meta, and Microsoft.
Source: TechCrunch
