Google Search and Discover Updates With Collapsible Ads, AI Features, and Trending Tools

Google is making Search and Discover more user-friendly with its latest Google Search and Discover updates. The changes bring AI-powered features, improved navigation, and a surprising new way to collapse ads — without removing them entirely.

Collapsible Ads with AI Overviews

One of the most notable updates lets users tap a “Hide sponsored results” button in Search. This collapses text ads at the top of the results page, though the “Sponsored Results” label remains visible as you scroll.

Interestingly, this label now appears above and below AI Overviews — the short, AI-generated summaries that provide quick answers at the top of the page. Text ads grouped under the label at the bottom of the page can also be collapsed, helping users focus on organic results.

Google says this design keeps ad size consistent, showing no more than four text ads per group, while making it easier to navigate to top content. Shopping ads will adopt a similar treatment, labeled as “Sponsored Products.”

videoframe 1755 — **Image Credits:** Google

New AI and Trending Features

Google isn’t stopping at ads. For sports searches, a new “What’s New” button will show a feed of trending updates and news articles to help users catch up quickly. This feature will roll out in the U.S. in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, the Discover feed on mobile now includes AI-powered trending previews. Users can expand short summaries and explore additional links to stay up to date on stories across publishers. Currently, this feature is rolling out in the U.S., South Korea, and India.

While publishers may see declining search traffic as users rely more on AI summaries, Google emphasizes that these features aim to enhance content discovery and help readers navigate trending topics more efficiently.

Why Google Search and Discover Updates Matters

The new Google Search and Discover updates mark a major step toward AI-enhanced browsing, giving users more control over what they see while keeping ads visible in a smarter, less intrusive way. For mobile and desktop users alike, these changes promise a smoother, more personalized search experience.