Google Marketing Live 2026 took place on May 20, 2026, bringing a new wave of announcements across Google Ads, AI, measurement, and commerce. Below you’ll find the full recap, including keynote highlights, speaker sessions, and the most important updates advertisers should know about.
From global brands to ecommerce businesses and local advertisers, GML 2026 introduced many of the tools and AI features that will shape campaign strategy and performance over the coming year.
What Is Google Marketing Live 2026?
Google Marketing Live, known as GML, is Google’s annual keynote where the company outlines the future of its advertising ecosystem. The event is where new campaign types are introduced, major platform updates are announced, and the broader direction of Google Ads becomes clearer for advertisers and agencies.
Google described the 2026 edition as “Front row, everywhere,” positioning it as a major event for performance marketers to explore the latest developments across Ads, AI, Search, Shopping, and YouTube through keynote sessions, product demos, and expert discussions.
AI was the central theme of GML 2026. Much of the event focused on turning Google’s “Gemini advantage” into practical advertising tools, with announcements centered around AI powered campaigns, agentic commerce, creative automation, and new performance opportunities across YouTube and Search.
🗓️ Missed past events? Explore our full Google Marketing Live summary to catch up on key updates from previous years.
When Is Google Marketing Live 2026?
The global event took place on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, starting at 8:45 AM PT.
A regional EMEA event followed the next day, on Thursday, May 21, 2026 at 11:00 AM BST.
One important piece of context: GML 2026 lands right after Google I/O 2026, which was scheduled for May 19 to 20. While I/O focuses on Google’s broader ecosystem, including AI, Search, and developer technologies, announcements there often set the stage for what’s coming to marketing and Google Ads.
Where Is Google Marketing Live 2026?
Google Marketing Live 2026 was streamed online worldwide on YouTube, giving advertisers free access to the keynote and product announcements through virtual sessions.
Google also hosted exclusive in person events for invited guests, including agencies, partners, creators, and members of the press. The main U.S. event took place in Mountain View, California, while the EMEA edition was hosted in Dublin, Ireland.
Where to Watch the Live Stream?
Google Marketing Live 2026 was available live on YouTube, allowing advertisers worldwide to follow the keynote and announcements in real time.
If you missed the live broadcast, the global keynote is available to watch on demand.
You can also explore our full GML 2026 recap covering all major announcements, including new AI features, campaign updates, measurement tools, and YouTube ad innovations revealed during the event.
Watch the Google Marketing Live 2026 keynote here:
You can also watch the recording the EMEA event here:
GML 2026 Speakers
Google Marketing Live 2026 featured a mix of product leaders, engineering experts, measurement specialists, and customer solution executives across the global keynote, demos, and supporting sessions.
Speakers at GML 2026 US Event
Official Product Innovation Keynote Speakers
The following speakers appeared during the main Google Marketing Live 2026 keynote presentation:
- Philipp Schindler — SVP & Chief Business Officer, Google
Opened the keynote and introduced Google’s vision for AI-powered advertising. - Vidhya Srinivasan — VP/GM, Ads and Commerce, Google
Led the keynote’s Search and Agentic Commerce announcements. - Sylvanus Bent — Group Product Manager, Google
Demonstrated new AI Mode advertising experiences and ad formats. - Shavi Goel — Sr Director, Merchant Shopping, Google
Presented Universal Cart and Unified Checkout Platform (UCP) shopping experiences. - Christopher Monkman — Sr Director of Product Management, Google Ads
Hosted and introduced the YouTube advertising product segment. - Gaurav Bhaya — VP/GM, Ads Measurement, Google
Covered measurement, attribution, and AI-powered reporting innovations. - Selin Song — Global President, Google Customer Solutions
Demonstrated agentic advertising workflows, including Ask Advisor. - Sean Downey — President, Americas and Global Partners, Google
Closed the keynote with a recap of Google’s AI advertising strategy.
Additional Featured Speakers
Several additional speakers appeared throughout the online event, product demos, pre-show sessions, and supporting content:
- Maya Shankar — Sr Director, Behavioral Economics, Google
Hosted the pre-show and post-show discussions. - John Nicoletti — VP, Google Customer Solutions
Featured in the pre-show, Demand Gen demonstrations, and Impact Awards segment. - Nicky Rettke — VP, Product Management, Ads, YouTube
Discussed YouTube advertising innovations and video ad experiences. - Josh Moser — Sr Director, Advertising Platform, Google
Presented creative tooling updates, including Asset Studio capabilities. - Michelle Pham — Founder, Inner Child
Participated as a guest during the Asset Studio product demonstration. - Priya Baliga — Sr Engineering Director & Area Tech Lead for Ads and Commerce, Google
Joined technical demonstrations related to Ask Advisor and AI systems. - Neil Patel — Founder, NP Digital
Appeared in an external explainer segment focused on measurement and marketing performance.
Ads Decoded Podcast Session
Google also included a live Ads Decoded podcast session as part of the Google Marketing Live 2026 event itself. The segment appeared at the end of the official YouTube event recording, where Ginny Marvin interviewed product leaders live on stage about the announcements and product innovations revealed during the keynote.
Featured participants included:
- Ginny Marvin — Ads Product Liaison, Google
Podcast host and moderator. - Josh Moser — Sr Director, Advertising Platform, Google
Panelist. - Christopher Monkman — Sr Director of Product Management, Google Ads
Panelist. - Christine Turner — Managing Director, Measurement, Data & Audiences
Panelist discussing measurement and audience strategy.
Speakers at GML 2026 EMEA Event
During the Google Marketing Live 2026 EMEA Event we could see the following speakers:
- Debbie Weinstein — President, EMEA, Google
Presented how Google’s Gemini-powered advertising innovations will shape the future of marketing performance and business growth. - Shashi Thakur — Vice President, Search Ads, Google
Explained how AI is transforming Search into a more powerful discovery and performance engine for advertisers. - Dan Taylor — Vice President, Global Ads, Google
Showcased agentic commerce experiences designed to streamline the customer journey from discovery to checkout. - Melissa Hsieh Nikolic — Director, Product Management, YouTube Ads
Covered new YouTube advertising innovations, including Demand Gen and creator-led Partnership Ads. - Harikesh Nair — Senior Director, Data Science & Engineering, Google
Discussed how first-party data and AI-powered measurement can help advertisers predict and drive business growth. - Stephanie Davis — Vice President, Google Customer Solutions, EMEA, Google
Introduced Gemini-powered marketing agents and discussed how AI agents can help businesses scale marketing impact. - Karen Stolberg — VP, UKI, Google Customer Solutions
Participated in the live product expert Q&A and closing takeaway session focused on strategic advertising insights. - Suzanne Claassen — Managing Director, EMEA Central Specialisms, Google
Joined the expert Q&A and summarized actionable takeaways from the event’s AI and advertising announcements. - Max Klymenko — Creator and Host of The Career Ladder
Co-hosted the opening welcome session for Google Marketing Live EMEA 2026.
GML 2026 Agenda
Here’s the official agenda for Wednesday, May 20, 2026:
8:45 AM PT – 9:00 AM PT: Pre-Show
The event opened with on the ground hosts introducing the keynote and sharing a few surprise moments before the main presentations began.
9:00 AM PT – 10:30 AM PT: Product Innovation Keynote
Google unveiled a wide range of announcements focused on AI powered advertising, agentic commerce, YouTube performance, creative tools, and new ways for advertisers to create and capture demand across Google properties.
10:30 AM PT – 10:35 AM PT: Award-winning wrap-up
A short segment highlighted examples of AI innovation and campaign success inspired by the Google Ads Impact Awards.
10:35 AM PT – 11:00 AM PT: Ads Decoded Live
Google closed the keynote with a live edition of the Ads Decoded podcast, where product leaders discussed and explained the biggest announcements from GML 2026. This replaced the traditional Q and A format used in previous years.
Here’s the official agenda for the Google Marketing Live EMEA 2026 event held on Thursday, May 21, 2026:
11:00 AM BST – 11:03 AM BST: Welcome to GML EMEA 2026
The event opened with an introduction to Google Marketing Live EMEA 2026, setting the stage for the day’s AI and advertising announcements.
11:03 AM BST – 11:07 AM BST: The Gemini Advantage
Google discussed how Gemini-powered advertising innovations are designed to improve marketing performance and help businesses adapt to the future of AI-driven advertising.
11:07 AM BST – 11:13 AM BST: The New Era of Search
The session focused on how AI is transforming Search into a more powerful discovery and performance channel capable of capturing high-intent user journeys earlier.
11:13 AM BST – 11:18 AM BST: The New Era of Commerce
Google showcased agentic commerce experiences and AI-powered shopping innovations aimed at reducing friction between product discovery and checkout.
11:18 AM BST – 11:24 AM BST: A New Era of Performance on YouTube
The keynote explored YouTube advertising innovations, including Demand Gen campaigns, creator-led visuals, and Partnership Ads designed to drive measurable performance.
11:24 AM BST – 11:27 AM BST: Turn Your Data Into Decisions
Google highlighted how advertisers can use first-party data and AI-powered measurement solutions to move from conversion tracking toward predictive growth strategies.
11:27 AM BST – 11:30 AM BST: Marketing Agents
The session introduced Gemini-powered marketing agents and autonomous AI systems designed to help businesses scale marketing operations and decision-making.
11:30 AM BST – 11:45 AM BST: Product Expert Q&A
Google hosted a live Q&A session where product experts discussed the latest innovations, AI trends, and strategic opportunities announced during the event.
11:45 AM BST – 11:47 AM BST: GML in Action — Your Top Takeaways
The event concluded with a short wrap-up summarizing the most important announcements and actionable insights from Google Marketing Live EMEA 2026.
Google Marketing Live EMEA 2026
Advertisers in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa got their own regional edition on Thursday, May 21, 2026 at 11:00 AM BST.
Speakers at Google Marketing Live 2026 included Dan Taylor, Stephanie Davis, and Shashi Thakur, alongside additional Google executives, product leaders, and industry guests featured throughout the event.
Main Topics at GML 2026
Based on Google’s messaging during the event and the broader product direction over the past year, several key themes dominated the Google Marketing Live 2026 keynote:
- The Gemini advantage. Google positioned Gemini as the foundation of many GML 2026 announcements, with deeper AI integration across campaign creation, asset generation, optimization, reporting, and advertiser workflows throughout Google Ads and related products.
- Agentic commerce. Google introduced “agentic commerce” as one of the central themes of GML 2026, describing a future where AI agents can assist users throughout the shopping journey and help advertisers automate more complex tasks. Many of these updates build on Google’s expanding AI capabilities and Universal Commerce Protocol.
- A new era of performance on YouTube. Nicky Rettke’s appearance in the keynote reflected Google’s strong focus on YouTube advertising at GML 2026. The event introduced new ad formats, creator focused opportunities, shopping integrations, and measurement updates designed to help brands reach audiences more effectively across screens and devices.
- Creative automation. Building on previous updates to Asset Studio and AI generated creatives, GML 2026 continued expanding Google’s unified creative tools for advertisers. The keynote showcased new ways to generate images, videos, headlines, and ad variations directly inside Google Ads using AI powered workflows.
- Measurement and attribution for a privacy-centric future. GML 2026 placed strong emphasis on modern measurement, cross channel attribution, marketing mix modeling, and privacy focused data strategies. Google highlighted updates to Meridian, Google Tag Gateway and Data Manager API, designed to help advertisers improve signal quality, simplify first party data connections, and strengthen measurement across Google Ads and external platforms.
With Google Marketing Live taking place shortly after Google I/O 2026, many of the advertising announcements reflected Google’s broader AI strategy. Several new Google Ads features and workflows were powered by the latest Gemini models, including the introduction of Gemini Omni. Google also expanded on concepts introduced at I/O, including Universal Cart and UCP, further connecting its consumer AI ecosystem with advertiser tools across Search, Shopping, YouTube, and creative automation.
GML 2026 Highlights
Google Marketing Live 2026 introduced a major wave of updates across AI, Search, YouTube, Shopping, and campaign automation. Below is a roundup of the biggest announcements and feature launches revealed during the event.
GML 2026 Recap [All Announcements]
💡 Missed the keynote? We’ve published a full Google Marketing Live 2026 recap covering every major announcement, feature launch, and product update revealed during the event.
