Google Launches AI Tools for Businesses in Sub-Saharan Africa at GML 2025
At Google Marketing Live 2025, Google revealed new AI-driven features focused on advertising and digital commerce—tools that can help businesses connect with customers more effectively in today’s digital environment.
Sub-Saharan Africa is experiencing rapid digital growth, making AI adoption essential for businesses aiming to expand their reach and improve customer engagement. Kabelo Makwane, Google Country Director for South Africa, emphasized that these new tools support local businesses in achieving their growth goals through smarter AI integration.
Key Innovations Introduced at GML 2025
Ads in AI Overviews and New AI Mode Ads
AI Overviews are AI-generated summaries that appear at the top of Google Search results. They have significantly boosted user engagement, with over 5 trillion searches annually and more than a 10% usage increase in markets like the U.S. and India for queries that display these summaries.
Starting May 21, 2025, Search and Shopping ads within AI Overviews will expand to desktop users in the U.S. Later this year, these ads will roll out in English to mobile and desktop users in select countries including South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, and others.
Additionally, Google is testing ads embedded in AI Mode, a conversational AI search experience tailored for complex queries. Ads may appear below or within AI Mode responses, providing new opportunities for brands to engage potential customers.
Advanced Agentic Capabilities
Google is introducing AI assistants that simplify advertising tasks by offering personalized support. These assistants learn from user inputs to help with campaign setup, reporting, and more.
A new “Marketing Advisor” feature in Chrome provides step-by-step guidance. Soon, similar AI assistance will be available in Google Ads and Google Analytics, allowing marketers to focus on strategy and creativity rather than routine tasks.
Google Analytics Enhancements
- Image-to-Video Transformation: Using Google’s Veo model, this AI feature converts still images into engaging videos. Currently available in Merchant Center, it will soon be part of Google Ads, enabling brands to create dynamic content without extensive video production.
- AI Outpainting: This technology extends videos beyond their original frames, filling aspect ratio gaps with native video content. It’s currently used in Google Ads App campaigns and will expand to other campaign types later in 2025.
Google also launched Asset Studio, a centralized workspace within Google Ads that combines creative tools and new features to help marketers generate striking images and showcase products effectively.
New Measurement Tools for Advertisers
Google is making it easier to measure ad impact through enhanced “incrementality testing,” which helps businesses identify which marketing efforts truly drive value.
The "Data Manager" platform is another addition, helping businesses collect, store, and use customer data from various sources while prioritizing privacy. These tools aim to provide clearer insights and improve marketing outcomes.
For marketers interested in staying ahead with AI-powered marketing tools and training, resources like Complete AI Training offer courses tailored to marketing professionals.
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