Singapore – Google has introduced a suite of new shopping and advertising solutions in Southeast Asia aimed at helping brands connect with consumers through AI-powered Search and YouTube’s creator ecosystem, as the company seeks to strengthen video commerce and brand-creator partnerships across the region.
The announcements were made during Google Marketing Live Southeast Asia, held in Singapore on 7 July, where the company highlighted how growing adoption of AI-powered Search features and YouTube’s creator network is reshaping consumer shopping behaviour.
According to Google, users in Southeast Asia who have access to AI Overviews and/or AI Mode reported making decisions faster (82%) and more confidently (80%) using Search’s AI features. Among Gen Z users, 86% said the tools help reduce decision fatigue.
Sapna Chadha, Vice President for Southeast Asia and South Asia Frontier at Google, said, “As people realise just how much more Search can do for them, AI is transforming how they explore and shop across our region. We are doubling down on this shift in Search while turbocharging the power of YouTube creators to partner with businesses and build better shopping experiences. No other platform can connect shopper intent and trusted video commerce like Google. Whether a brand wants to build deep creator connections or drive direct checkouts, our ecosystem delivers on every business goal. Ultimately, our next-generation, AI-backed measurement solutions ensure advertisers have total clarity on their ROI, keeping them ahead in this new era of commerce.”
The company said Southeast Asia has become a major market for video commerce, with the segment growing fivefold between 2022 and 2025 and accounting for 25% of the region’s total e-commerce gross merchandise value (GMV).
Google also shared updates on its YouTube Shopping Affiliate Program, which enables creators to tag products in videos, Shorts, and live streams. Since its launch two years ago, more than six million videos in Southeast Asia have featured shoppable product tags. Google said over half of eligible creators have joined the programme, while total creator payouts have increased by more than 105% year over year.
To support brands and marketplaces, Google unveiled three new advertising and commerce solutions.
The first, Commerce Media Suite, is designed to reduce friction between product discovery and purchase by directing users from YouTube advertisements to marketplace checkout pages. The solution uses shopping signals, including search activity and cart additions, to deliver more relevant advertising. Google said the platform is currently being piloted with Shopee. During early testing, cosmetics brand Maybelline recorded a 7.4% incremental lift in revenue alongside a positive return on ad spend.
Google also introduced Creator Partnerships Boost, formerly known as Partnership Ads. The feature enables brands to promote YouTube creators’ existing videos as advertisements while keeping the content under the creator’s own channel, allowing campaigns to reach audiences beyond the creator’s organic following.
In addition, the company announced Affiliate Partnerships Boost, a pilot programme that allows marketplaces and retailers to amplify affiliate-tagged YouTube videos as paid advertisements. Google said the initiative is intended to help retailers expand the reach of creator content while providing creators with additional commission opportunities when advertisements lead to purchases.
Southeast Asia is among the first regions globally where Affiliate Partnerships Boost is being piloted, with Shopee participating in the initial rollout.
