Google Admits Its AI Search Makes Less Money Than Regular Search
Google's AI search is pulling in more queries than ever, but the company's own executives are now admitting that growth in that format is costing them money, and the pressure is building on a business that funds everything else Alphabet…
Google’s search engine handled faster query growth in the third quarter, Pichai said, but its Search revenue barely moved from the prior quarter. On the October 28, 2026 earnings call, Chief Business Officer Philipp Schindler said Search slowed partly because “the strong growth in AI Mode queries had an impact because of the lower monetization we were seeing in AI Mode.”
He said it while answering an analyst who asked why faster query growth was not turning into faster Search revenue growth. This is the central tension for Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG | GOOG Price Prediction, NASDAQ:GOOGL) shareholders. Google is moving users toward a format that currently makes less per query, and it needs ads inside that format to catch up before the shift cuts into its most profitable business.
The stock rose 1.34% in the regular session to close at $324.89. It then fell 9.97% to $292.50 in after-hours trading as of about 7:59 p.m. ET.
What Schindler Actually Conceded
Schindler’s point was narrow. Each AI Mode query currently makes less than a traditional search, and he coupled that with the claim that monetization will improve over time.
He also ranked AI Mode behind other causes: “First, there was FX. It was the single largest driver of Search deceleration relative to Q2.” He cited Asia-Pacific retail advertisers hurt when the EU ended its de minimis exemption, along with media and entertainment spending settling down after a World Cup-boosted second quarter.
The mechanism still matters. A long conversational answer can leave less room for paid links than a page of results, and Google’s business runs on paid clicks.
Search Revenue Stalled Between Quarters
Alphabet Inc. reported Search and other revenue of $63.35 billion, up 12% from $56.57 billion a year earlier. Growth was roughly 17% in the second quarter, when the line brought in $63.27 billion, so Search was nearly flat quarter to quarter.
That result missed the $64.85 billion analysts expected. Chief Financial Officer Anat Ashkenazi tied part of the slowdown to facing the late-2025 acceleration: “We left about 3 points of growth versus Q3, and then we expect to see that continue in Q4.” The comparison will not get easier in the fourth quarter.
AI Mode Usage Is Outpacing Ad Revenue
Sundar Pichai said, “Queries in AI Mode are on average three times longer than traditional searches, and one in five AI Mode searches globally use voice, images, or documents.” Pichai also said Google has “crossed over 50 billion visual searches per month.”
Usage only turns into revenue when advertisers pay for it. Schindler announced “the expansion of ads in AI Mode into international markets alongside multi-turn ads in AI Mode in the U.S.” He also argued that many AI Mode queries are upper funnel, meaning early research before a purchase decision.
Those queries usually lead to fewer direct sales than a shopping search, so advertisers may pay less for them until Google can show that they pay off.
Why Search Weighs on the Whole Stock
Alphabet Inc.’s total revenue reached $127.58 billion, up about 25%, and its Google advertising rose to $82.01 billion from $74.18 billion. Alphabet Inc.’s GAAP EPS of $2.12 missed the $3.01 consensus, partly because of its $8.7 billion loss on equity securities.
Capital spending of $51.355 billion pushed free cash flow down to negative $9.065 billion. That leaves little room for weakness in the business that pays for the expansion.
What Alphabet Must Prove in the Fourth Quarter
The outlook tends to be positive because currency was the largest drag, ads in AI Mode are only now spreading, and the shares trade at about 14x trailing earnings, which already reflects a lot of doubt.
The risks are real because negative free cash flow means Search has to steady.
The test is Alphabet’s fourth-quarter report. If FX eases and AI Mode carries more ads but Search growth stays at or below the 12% Alphabet Inc. reported, the bullish case likely breaks down.
Also watch whether the stock holds above the $292.50 after-hours level once regular trading opens.
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Omor Ibne Ehsan is a writer at 24/7 Wall St. He is a self-taught investor with a focus on growth, cyclical, and dividend equities that have strong fundamentals, value, and long-term potential. He also has an interest in high-risk, high-reward investments such as penny stocks.
