Meta's AI ad helper links to 9% higher ad spending, Google may feel it

Meta says advertisers who followed advice from its AI Business Assistant got almost 5% more conversions and raised their ad spending by 9%, compared with similar advertisers who did not. A conversion is when someone does what the advertiser wants, such as buying. Several outlets say this could pull budgets from Google Search. Meta has not said that.

What Meta said

The assistant connects to Ads Manager, the tool where advertisers set budgets, audiences and creative. It helps build campaigns and improve results. Meta CFO Susan Li shared the figures with investors on an earnings call.

• Almost 5% more conversions and 9% more ad spending for advertisers who followed the tips.
• Simply Organic Maple reported 57% more purchases and a 36% lower cost per purchase.
• Almost 10 million advertisers used at least one Meta AI tool in the third quarter.

These are company-reported numbers, not independent audits. They show Meta's best case.

What the numbers hint at

The analysis behind this story ran some simple math. If cost per purchase falls 36%, the same money buys about 1.56 times as many purchases. That fits the 57% jump, so Simply Organic Maple likely kept spending flat and bought better.

The average advertiser looks different. Conversions rose almost 5% while spending rose 9%. That suggests each dollar may have worked slightly less hard, though the two figures may use different baselines. The assistant may be better at getting advertisers to spend more than at making each dollar stretch.

What is not known

No source gives an amount, a percentage or a date for any shift from Google Search. No named beauty or banking advertiser is tied to the claim either. Outlets described it as a possibility. The idea spreads because the two companies pitch different things. Google Search reaches people who already typed a query. Meta's systems look for people who might want a product before they search.

What to do

If you buy online ads, try Meta's AI suggestions on a small budget. Track cost per sale, not just total results. More spending is not the same as better results.