What Google’s new AI innovation means for 30,000 ad sales staff

Google’s AI ad sales reorganization Google is undergoing a major reorganization of its ad sales unit, as it implements AI-based tools for creating and suggesting ads. This move eliminates the need for specialized employees in selling ads for specific Google services, such as YouTube, Gmail, and Maps. According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, this could affect up to 30,000 workers, who may have to find new roles within the company or elsewhere.

Google’s AI innovation enables a new era of personalized advertising at scale. Ad sales staff can leverage the power of machine learning to analyze vast amounts of user data and deliver hyper-targeted ad campaigns. This not only enhances the customer experience but also opens up new revenue streams for advertisers. Sales teams must adapt to this shift by developing a deep understanding of AI capabilities and integrating them into their sales strategies.

Upskilling for Success: As AI takes over certain tasks, ad sales staff must proactively upskill to remain relevant and effective in their roles. Google’s commitment to providing training resources and educational materials means that sales professionals can enhance their skills in areas such as AI-driven analytics, campaign optimization, and client consultation. Embracing these opportunities for growth will be crucial for staying ahead in the competitive advertising landscape.

Strategic Consultation and Relationship Building: With routine tasks automated, ad sales staff can position themselves as strategic consultants for clients. By offering insights derived from AI-driven data analysis, sales professionals can provide valuable recommendations for optimizing campaigns, improving targeting strategies, and maximizing return on investment. This shift towards strategic consultation reinforces the importance of building strong client relationships based on trust and expertise.

The AI innovation behind this change is called Search Generative Experience (SGE), which was announced at Google I/O 2023. SGE is a generative AI model that can craft responses to open-ended queries, using data from multiple sources, such as text, images, video, and more. SGE is powered by LaMDA, a breakthrough in natural language understanding for dialogue, and MUM, a multitask unified model that can learn across 75 languages and different modalities. Google’s AI ad sales reorganization

SGE is designed to make Google Search more helpful and conversational, by providing users with relevant information, suggestions, and actions. For example, if a user types in “I want to buy a new laptop”, SGE could show them a list of laptops that match their preferences, along with reviews, prices, and links to buy them. SGE could also ask follow-up questions, such as “Do you need any accessories?” or “Do you want to compare different models?”.

SGE is also integrated with Google’s advertising platform, which means that it can generate and recommend ads based on the user’s query and context. For instance, if a user searches for “best hiking trails near me”, SGE could show them ads for hiking gear, local guides, or travel deals. SGE could also tailor the ads to the user’s profile, location, and history, making them more personalized and effective.

This AI-driven approach to advertising is expected to increase Google’s revenue and market share, as it can reach more potential customers and offer them more relevant and engaging ads. However, it also means that Google no longer needs as many human ad sales specialists, who used to pitch and negotiate deals with advertisers and agencies. Instead, Google will rely more on automated systems and self-service tools, which can handle most of the ad sales process. Google’s AI ad sales reorganization

According to The Wall Street Journal, Google plans to restructure its 30,000-person ad sales unit, which accounts for about 15% of its workforce. Some of the affected employees will be offered new roles within Google, such as product managers, engineers, or analysts. Others will have to look for opportunities outside the company, or take voluntary severance packages. Google has not disclosed the exact number or timeline of the layoffs, but said that it will provide support and training to the impacted workers.

Google’s AI innovation is a sign of how technology is transforming the advertising industry, and the implications it has for the future of work. While AI can create new opportunities and efficiencies, it can also disrupt and displace existing jobs and skills. Google’s AI ad sales reorganizatio