Google Ads AI Video Generator Labeling: What Advertisers Must Know in 2026

Google Ads now requires advertisers to disclose when ad content — including AI-generated videos — has been created or edited using generative AI. The policy, announced on July 9, 2026, introduces a new "How this ad was made" panel and manual labeling workflow that directly impacts anyone using AI video generators for Google Ads campaigns. Here is what the change means and how to comply.

How Google Ads AI Transparency Labels Work

The key change is a new transparency requirement for AI-generated or AI-edited ad assets. Google automatically adds disclosure labels when its own AI tools — such as those in Performance Max or Demand Gen — produce video or image assets. For third-party AI video generators, advertisers must manually label the assets via the Asset Studio or Asset library.

Google’s official announcement explains that labels appear in My Ad Center, accessible through the three-dot menu on Search, YouTube, and Discover ads. In regulated markets such as the EU, India, and New York, visible overlays are applied. The support documentation provides step-by-step instructions for designating assets as AI-generated or AI-edited.

What This Means for Advertisers Using Third-Party AI Video Generators

If you use an external AI video generator (e.g., Runway, Pika, or Gemini Omni) to create ad creatives, you must now manually label each asset. Failure to do so could lead to policy violations or ad disapproval. The Common Thread article offers a compliance checklist for ecommerce brands, emphasizing the need to audit existing campaigns and update workflows.

Key Differences: Auto-Labeling vs. Manual Labeling

Aspect	Google’s Native AI Tools	Third-Party AI Tools
Labeling method	Automatic by Google	Manual by advertiser
Where labels appear	My Ad Center + overlays in regulated markets	Same, but only if labeled
Examples	Performance Max, Demand Gen, auto-generated video ads	AI video generators like Gemini Omni, Runway
Compliance effort	None	High – requires asset audit and tagging

The table highlights the increased responsibility for advertisers who rely on external AI video generation. According to Search Engine Roundtable, the labels began rolling out immediately, making swift action essential.

Google's Auto-Generated Video Ads and the New Labeling

Google has long offered auto-generated video ads that transform static images into dynamic 10-second videos for Demand Gen campaigns. These are described in Google’s help center as AI-powered features. Under the new rules, these ads are automatically labeled as AI-generated, so advertisers using native tools have no manual work.

However, if you take the same static assets and run them through a third-party AI video generator to create more customized content, you now need to mark them manually. This creates a compliance gap that many advertisers may not have anticipated.

Gemini Omni: A Future AI Video Generator for Google Ads?

Google DeepMind’s Gemini Omni, launched in May 2026, is a multimodal conversational video editor with “create anything from anything” capabilities. While not yet integrated directly into Google Ads, its API support and availability in YouTube and other Google products suggest it could become a native option. If so, assets created with Gemini Omni would likely be auto-labeled — but until that integration, advertisers must treat it as a third-party tool and label manually.

Compliance Steps for Ecommerce Brands

Ecommerce advertisers, who often rely heavily on AI-generated video for product demos and promotions, should take these steps immediately:

1. Audit existing campaigns – Identify all ads that may contain AI-generated or AI-edited video or images from third-party tools.
2. Label assets – Use the Asset Studio or Asset library in Google Ads to mark each asset as AI-generated.
3. Update workflows – Ensure your creative team tags assets at the point of upload, not after the ad is live.
4. Monitor regulated markets – In the EU, India, and New York, visible overlays are mandatory; double-check that labeling is applied correctly.
5. Check third-party tools – Review your AI video generator’s output for any built-in labeling or watermarking that might help compliance.

The Search Engine Journal report on travel campaigns and SERoundtable travel expansion indicate that Google is rapidly expanding ad formats, which may further integrate AI video — making compliance an ongoing priority.

Conclusion

Google’s AI transparency labels represent a significant shift for advertisers using AI video generators. The burden of disclosure falls on the advertiser for third-party tools, while Google auto-labels its own. Understanding the distinction and updating asset management processes is essential to avoid policy violations. As Google continues to develop native AI video tools like Gemini Omni, the line between auto-labeled and manual-labeled assets may blur, but for now, manual diligence is required.