What happened in May 2026
In less than a week, Google has unveiled two of the most significant updates of recent years for those working in digital advertising.
At Google I/O, Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet, announced the ‘Gemini Agent Era’ with new models, new agents and a new way of interacting with Google products.
At Google Marketing Live, the focus was on advertising: new ad formats, a unified agent for campaign management and creative tools powered by generative AI.
For those managing B2B marketing and sales in Portugal, these changes are not abstract. They have a direct impact on companies’ visibility, the cost per lead and the way decision-makers search for solutions.
Search has changed. So have B2B Buyers.
The most fundamental change isn’t in the adverts. It’s in the search itself.
Google Search’s AI Mode has surpassed one billion monthly active users in just one year, making it the biggest update to Google Search to date.
In practice, an increasing proportion of searches no longer end with a click on an organic or paid result. They end with an AI-generated answer, with sources selected by the model itself.
“It’s the biggest change to the search bar ever. It now accepts images, videos and files, and has agents working without the user having to search again.”
For B2B companies, where the buying journey often begins with a search for information. For example:
– “What is the best management software for SMEs?”
– “How can I automate sales follow-ups?”
But this behaviour has direct implications. Content that does not answer specific questions in a clear and structured way simply won’t appear.
What to do from now on
A B2B content strategy needs to incorporate AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation) principles: a question-based structure, direct answers in the opening paragraphs, and the use of data and concrete examples. This is the new benchmark for visibility.
Search Ads: the end of the classic format
Google is reinventing search adverts using AI so that they appear as useful additions to the conversation, rather than interruptions. The new formats adapt in real time to each user’s search, providing more context and the ability to influence decisions throughout the purchasing process.
In any campaign, the right message at the right time can determinewhether or not a company makes it onto a decision-maker’s shortlist. This development represents a paradigm shift. Adverts are no longer static but dynamic, built around the intent expressed in each search.
AI-powered campaigns, such as Performance Max, remain the best way to ensure that businesses are an essential part of the conversation. Anyone who has not yet tested this type of campaign in a B2B context will find a concrete opportunity here.
Ask Advisor: one agent to manage it all
One of the new features with the greatest operational impact for marketing teams was Ask Advisor. This is a new unified agent created using Gemini that covers Google Ads, Google Analytics, Merchant Centre and the Google Marketing Platform, acting as an ever-present strategic partner that connects the dots between Google’s products.
In practice, this means less time spent switching between platforms and greater ability to make decisions based on consolidated data. This intelligent automation can make a real difference to efficiency.
Asset Studio and creativity at a whole new level
Producing creative content in sufficient quantity and quality remains one of the biggest bottlenecks for B2B marketing teams.
Asset Studio directly addresses this issue. Its new features enable you to turn brand guidelines into high-performing creative assets. For example, using the latest Gemini templates, which centralise the workflow and integrate existing design tools.
Less time spent on production, more time to test, optimise and scale what works.
What this means for businesses in Portugal
These changes will put even more pressure on companies that are still operating with strategies dating back two or three years. Paid search, organic search and content production are now converging into a single AI-powered ecosystem. Relevance, structure and the speed of adaptation determine who rises and who falls.
B2B companies best equipped to respond to these changes share certain characteristics: they have organised data, run well-structured campaigns and work with partners who keep pace with platform developments in real time.
For the rest, now is a good time to take a serious look at where they stand.
Would you like to understand how these changes apply to your business?
Sources:
https://blog.google/intl/pt-br/novidades/tecnologia/sundar-pichai-io-2026/https://blog.google/intl/pt-pt/noticias-da-empresa/google-marketing-live-2026/https://blog.google/products/ads-commerce/ask-advisor/
