Google introduced a new suite of AI-powered advertising and commerce solutions at Google Marketing Live Southeast Asia in Singapore, highlighting how AI Search capabilities and YouTube’s creator ecosystem are helping businesses connect with shoppers and accelerate digital commerce across the region, including the Philippines.
According to Google, users in Southeast Asia are increasingly relying on AI-powered Search features such as AI Overviews and AI Mode. Around 82% of users said these tools help them make purchasing decisions faster, while 80% reported greater confidence in their decisions. Among Gen Z users, 86% said AI Search helps reduce decision fatigue.
To capitalize on growing consumer intent, Google announced new advertising solutions that combine Search intelligence with YouTube’s creator-led ecosystem, enabling brands to reach shoppers through trusted creators and drive seamless product purchases.
The company also highlighted the rapid growth of video commerce in Southeast Asia, where it has expanded fivefold between 2022 and 2025 and now accounts for 25% of the region’s total e-commerce gross merchandise value (GMV).
Google said the YouTube Shopping Affiliate Program has become a key driver of this growth. More than six million YouTube videos across Southeast Asia now feature shoppable product tags, with over half of eligible creators participating. Creator payouts through the affiliate program have also more than doubled year over year.
To help advertisers maximize this opportunity, Google unveiled four new solutions:
- Commerce Media Suite enables brands to direct high-intent shoppers from YouTube ads to marketplace checkout pages. Google is piloting the platform with Shopee, where early campaigns, including one from Maybelline, recorded a 7.4% increase in revenue alongside strong return on ad spend.
- Creator Partnerships Boost allows brands to amplify creators’ YouTube content as advertisements while maintaining the creator’s identity, expanding reach beyond organic audiences.
- Affiliate Partnerships Boost, currently being piloted with Shopee in Southeast Asia, helps marketplaces and retailers promote affiliate creator videos as paid advertisements while generating additional commission opportunities for creators.
- YouTube Creator Partnerships, an AI-powered discovery platform, enables brands to identify creators based on keywords, audience demographics, and engagement metrics. The feature is now expanding to additional markets, including the Philippines.
Google said these innovations are designed to strengthen the connection between AI-driven search intent, creator-led content, and online shopping, while providing advertisers with improved measurement tools to better track return on investment in the evolving digital commerce landscape.
