Merchant Center documentation dated 2 October 2026 expanded eligible countries from 8 to 13. Australian retailers can use Search and Shopping ads, while Gemini answer surfaces remain restricted to American merchants.
Per-request prices run from US$0.001 to US$100, settled in USDC on the Base blockchain, with early customers including Stocktwits and Ceramic.ai, though the gateway is US-only for now, so Australian publishers and API owners are watching from outside.
Ads Agent folds the DSP and sponsored ads into one AI interface across 20-plus markets, with early tests claiming 25 per cent more unique customers and 10 per cent lower cost per impression. Alexa's Branded Conversations stay US-only until at least January 2027.
Five claim types failed on 30 September 2026. Google prevailed on the finding that 'an expectation is not an agreement'; Australian publishers lean on bargaining rules instead.
The McDonald's Media Network sells ads on its app, kiosks, menu boards and drive-thru screens in about 450 US restaurants, targeted with loyalty data. Australia is not included.
Google, OpenAI and Anthropic have tentatively named their proposed joint safety body the Standards Authority for Frontier AI (SAFA), with governance still being finalised and no formal launch date confirmed.
