What's new in AI search
What ChatGPT, Google, Apple and Microsoft changed recently, and how it affects businesses and brands.
We only include news with an official announcement, dated by that announcement. Numbers say who reported them, and anything not yet live is marked as planned.
US only
Google launches a Universal Cart for products found in AI Mode and Gemini
Google launched Universal Cart in the US. Products people find in AI Mode or the Gemini app can be saved to one cart, which tracks price drops and stock. Many merchants can take payment directly through Google Pay, and the merchant stays the seller.
What it means for you: In the US, the path from an AI recommendation to a purchase just got shorter, so complete product data may matter more.
Source: Google Blog (opens in a new tab)Regions not stated
Bing's AI Performance report adds Topics Portfolio
Microsoft added a Topics Portfolio beta to the AI Performance report in Bing Webmaster Tools. It groups the queries where AI answers cite your site into topics, estimates how many sites are cited in each topic, and lists queries where other sites are cited and yours is not. The report launched in February and covers Microsoft Copilot, AI summaries in Bing and some partners.
What it means for you: Bing and Copilot now offer official citation data too. Microsoft itself says to treat the numbers as directional signals for planning, not a precise ledger.
Source: Bing Webmaster Blog (opens in a new tab)US test
ChatGPT tests image ads and expands measurement
OpenAI said it would test a new ad format in the US later that month: image ads shown while people create images in ChatGPT. It also added attribution and measurement partners and plans brand-safety pilots with DoubleVerify and IAS. OpenAI says ChatGPT reaches 1.2 billion people a week, and repeats that ads do not influence answers.
What it means for you: ChatGPT's ad measurement keeps getting more complete, but it only measures ads. Whether answers mention you on their own has to be tracked separately.
Source: OpenAI (opens in a new tab)US data
Adobe forecasts 130% more AI referral traffic this US holiday season
Based on Adobe Analytics data covering more than 1 trillion visits to US retail sites, Adobe forecasts that traffic from AI services to US retail sites will be up 130% year over year this holiday season.
What it means for you: This is a forecast for US retail sites and does not carry over directly to Taiwan, Japan or Korea, but it shows AI referral traffic is now a metric large analytics firms track.
Source: Adobe Newsroom (opens in a new tab)Japan
Yahoo! Japan's business listing service ends in March 2027
LINE Yahoo announced that Yahoo! Place, its business listing service in Japan, will end on 31 March 2027, with new sign-ups closing around noon on 30 November 2026 (it says the dates may change). After that, owners can no longer edit listings or reply to reviews. Listing data will be kept under the service terms, and a separate channel for correcting errors will be set up later.
What it means for you: Businesses in Japan shouldn't start a new Yahoo! Place listing now. Put the effort into platforms that are staying, such as Google Business Profile.
Source: LINE Yahoo (opens in a new tab)Taiwan
ChatGPT ads launch in Taiwan
OpenAI said ChatGPT ads were rolling out from that day in Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Ads appear only on the Free and Go tiers. OpenAI says ads are clearly labelled, kept separate from answers and do not influence what ChatGPT answers.
What it means for you: Buying an ad in ChatGPT and being recommended in its answers are now two separate things. Whether the answers mention you has to be checked on its own.
Source: OpenAI (opens in a new tab)US and 4 other countries, not Taiwan, Japan or Korea
Google Merchant Center adds AI performance insights
Google launched AI performance insights in Merchant Center. They show how a merchant's brand and products are discovered in AI Mode and AI Overviews, as a share of voice compared with other brands. They are available in Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand and the US.
What it means for you: Google itself now presents AI exposure as share of voice against competitors. Merchants in Taiwan, Japan and Korea cannot use it yet.
Source: Google Blog (opens in a new tab)US test; the Shopify ads app includes Taiwan, Japan and Korea
ChatGPT tests sponsored brand conversations
After tapping an ad in ChatGPT, users can chat with an agent labelled as sponsored by the business. This is a test with selected US advertisers, and OpenAI says these conversations are separate from ChatGPT's independent answers. The same announcement said Shopify merchants can run ads through the ChatGPT Ads app, available from 23 September in every market where ChatGPT ads have launched.
What it means for you: Paid brand exposure inside ChatGPT keeps growing, but OpenAI still keeps it apart from answers, so the two need to be measured separately.
Source: OpenAI (opens in a new tab)English beta; Japanese and Korean planned
Apple launches a Siri AI that answers using the web
Apple released Siri AI as an English beta. Apple says it uses information from the web to give helpful, accurate answers, and that the model was custom-built in collaboration with Google and its Gemini models. French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish are planned for the following month (October); it is not offered in China for now.
What it means for you: When iPhone users ask Siri directly, brands may show up in the answer. Apple has not said whether answers link to their sources.
Source: Apple Newsroom (opens in a new tab)Worldwide
Search Console's generative AI report opens to every site
Google added a Search Console report showing how often your site's URLs appear in AI Overviews, AI Mode and generative AI features in Discover, broken down by page, country, device and date. It started with some sites in June and has been available to all sites worldwide since 31 August.
What it means for you: Businesses can now see their AI Overviews exposure for free in an official Google tool. It covers only Google's own products and counts URL impressions.
Source: Google Search Central Blog (opens in a new tab)Japan, South Korea
ChatGPT ads arrive in Japan and South Korea
OpenAI updated its page about testing ads in ChatGPT: ads have now launched in the UK, Mexico, Brazil, Japan and South Korea. The same page repeats that ads do not influence the answers ChatGPT gives you.
What it means for you: Brands selling in Japan or Korea should also look at paid exposure and recommendations in answers separately.
Source: OpenAI (opens in a new tab)
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