Google is testing Business Agent inside YouTube ads, allowing U.S. shoppers to ask product-related questions directly within ads instead of immediately visiting a retailer’s website.
The beta is limited to eligible Demand Gen campaigns connected to Merchant Center feeds, with a minimum $10/day budget. It currently applies to English-language mobile in-stream ads in the U.S., while YouTube Shorts are excluded.
Google will enable the feature on qualifying existing campaigns for accepted advertisers. By default, all linked Demand Gen campaigns may be included unless specific campaigns are selected.
Business Agent builds on Google’s shopping assistant already available in Search, using product information from Merchant Center and retailer websites to answer questions such as specifications, shipping, sizing, or compatibility.
Google is also expanding AI performance insights in Merchant Center, but these reports only measure organic visibility in AI Mode and AI Overviews, not paid YouTube ads.
Therefore, they cannot be used to judge Business Agent campaign performance.
Google is separately expanding its Universal Commerce Protocol checkout integrations, including cart transfers and checkout testing, but purchasing directly inside YouTube Business Agent ads is not part of this beta.
