Google has introduced a new suite of AI-powered shopping and creator advertising solutions aimed at helping brands in the Philippines and across Southeast Asia capitalize on the region’s fast-growing video commerce market.
Announced during Google Marketing Live Southeast Asia 2026 in Singapore, the new tools combine Google Search’s AI capabilities with YouTube’s creator ecosystem to help businesses reach high-intent shoppers, drive direct purchases, and strengthen creator partnerships.
The rollout comes as AI-powered Search and creator-led commerce continue reshaping how consumers discover and buy products online.
AI Search continues to influence shopping decisions
Google says Search usage continues to grow as more users adopt AI Overviews and AI Mode for research and purchasing decisions.
According to the company, 82% of users in Southeast Asia say Search’s AI features help them make decisions faster, while 80% report feeling more confident in their choices. Among Gen Z users, 86% say AI-powered Search helps reduce decision fatigue.
These trends have prompted Google to further integrate AI into its advertising ecosystem, enabling brands to reach consumers during high-intent moments across Search and YouTube.
New commerce tools aim to shorten the path to purchase
A major announcement was the introduction of Commerce Media Suite, a solution designed to reduce friction between product discovery and checkout.
The platform allows brands with marketplace storefronts to direct consumers from YouTube ads straight to checkout pages while using real-time shopping signals—such as search behavior and cart activity—to deliver more relevant advertisements.
Google is currently piloting the solution with Shopee, with early testing showing positive results. According to the company, Maybelline recorded a 7.4% increase in revenue while maintaining strong returns on advertising spend during initial campaigns.
Google doubles down on YouTube’s creator economy
Video commerce has become one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing digital sectors.
According to Google, video commerce has grown fivefold between 2022 and 2025 and now accounts for 25% of the region’s total e-commerce gross merchandise value (GMV).
The company’s YouTube Shopping Affiliate Program has also expanded rapidly, with more than 6 million videos now featuring shoppable product tags, over half of eligible creators joining the affiliate program, and creator payouts increasing by more than 105% year over year.
To help brands capitalize on this growth, Google announced several new advertising tools.
Previously known as Partnership Ads, Creator Partnerships Boost enables brands to promote creators’ existing YouTube content as paid advertisements while keeping the promotions under the creator’s own channel identity. The approach allows businesses to extend the reach of creator content beyond organic audiences while maintaining its original voice and authenticity.
Google also introduced Affiliate Partnerships Boost, a pilot program launching first in Southeast Asia. The feature allows marketplaces and retailers to amplify high-performing affiliate videos through paid advertising. Creators continue earning commissions when promoted content leads to purchases, while brands gain broader exposure for their products.
The Philippines is among the first markets to test the initiative alongside Shopee.
YouTube Creator Partnerships expands to the Philippines
Google is also bringing YouTube Creator Partnerships to the Philippines after initial availability in Indonesia and Singapore.
The platform helps marketers discover creators using AI-powered search filters based on keywords, industries, and trends while providing audience demographics and engagement insights before collaboration.
Once partnerships are established, brands can manage campaigns, promote creator content as advertisements, and measure campaign performance from a single dashboard.
Google positions AI and creators at the center of digital commerce
The latest announcements reflect Google’s broader strategy of combining AI-powered Search with YouTube’s creator ecosystem as online shopping increasingly shifts toward video-first experiences.
For Philippine brands, retailers, and creators, the new advertising and commerce tools could provide additional ways to connect product discovery with direct purchases while expanding opportunities for creator-led marketing as video commerce continues to grow across Southeast Asia.
