July 20, 2026 Global Marketing & Branding News. Today’s issue selected by Soulpapa Marketing.
View Original (searchenginejournal.com) →
Google Ads Introduces ‘How this ad was made’ Label for AI-Generated Ads… Rollout Underway in July.
Google is applying disclosure labels for ads created or edited with generative AI across Search, YouTube, and Discover. A ‘How this ad was made’ section is being added to the My Ad Center panel, accessible via the three-dot menu or info icon below ads, where users can check if generative AI was used in that ad. Ads created with Google’s own generative AI advertising tools receive this disclosure automatically. However, advertisers using AI tools from outside Google must manually indicate AI usage through a newly introduced control.
This feature will roll out over the course of July across Google Ads, Display & Video 360, Campaign Manager 360, Merchant Center, and Ads Editor. Depending on regional transparency regulations, the label may also appear directly on ads themselves; Google has identified the European Union, India, and New York State in the U.S. as regions with legal requirements. The same disclosure applies to Google ads served on third-party sites, where users can access this information via AdChoices icons or the three-dot menu.
Google has clarified that advertisers bear final responsibility for determining whether AI usage requires disclosure and for complying with local regulations. Teams already using AI for copywriting, image generation, and creative editing must document when AI was used. When creative production and campaign management are handled by different people or teams, that information may not be immediately available; agencies must verify before placement whether external AI tools were used in materials provided by clients.
Soulpapa perspective: AI usage documentation now becomes a mandatory element of creative approval workflows. Only teams that maintain records of asset sources and AI usage history before placement will stay ahead of regulatory risk.
This article is excerpted from Brand Marketing Issues & News for July 20, 2026. Check out Soulpapa Marketing’s daily curated marketing news briefing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to add an AI disclosure label if I created ad materials with external AI tools (e.g., Midjourney, Adobe Firefly, etc.)?
Yes, advertisers who use external AI tools other than Google’s own AI tools must manually indicate AI usage through the newly introduced control. While ads created with Google’s own tools have the label applied automatically, you must personally disclose third-party AI tool usage, so be careful not to omit it.
Could AI disclosure labels have a negative impact on ad performance (CTR, conversion rate, etc.)?
In most regions, the label is not displayed directly on ads themselves but is only visible within the My Ad Center panel, so immediate performance impact may be limited. However, in regions with legal requirements like the EU, India, and New York State, the label may be displayed directly on the ad itself, so advertisers targeting those regions should monitor for changes in consumer response.
Insights from Soulpapa Marketing — Korea’s digital marketing agency.
Original Korean article: https://soulpapa.co.kr/2026/07/20/news-2026-07-20-%ea%b5%ac%ea%b8%80-%ec%95%a0%ec%a6%88-ai-%ec%83%9d%ec%84%b1-%ea%b4%91%ea%b3%a0-%ed%81%ac%eb%a6%ac%ec%97%90%ec%9d%b4%ed%8b%b0%eb%b8%8c%ec%97%90-%ea%b3%b5%ec%8b%9c-%eb%9d%bc%eb%b2%a8/
