Google Ads today: a mandatory tax, a growth engine, or are you just paying to exist?

In 2026, Google Ads is no longer just a channel—nor the growth engine we once relied on. It has become a closed system that reshapes rules, margins, and visibility. With AI Overviews and zero-click search, clicks are declining, costs are rising—and control is shifting elsewhere. The uncomfortable question is: are you building a competitive advantage, or fueling a dependency? We’ll explore how to leverage first-party data to regain control and drive sustainable performance.