Comment by MarginalGainz

It’s the final stage of 'Search Enshittification'.

The core utility of a search engine is Relevance (finding the best match for user intent). The core utility of an Ad engine is Yield (finding the highest bidder).

When you blur the visual distinction between the two, you aren't just 'optimizing monetization', you are actively degrading the product's primary function.

From a UX perspective, this trains users to develop 'banner blindness' for the entire top half of the viewport. They stop trusting that the first result is the best result. It’s a short-term revenue extraction hack that burns long-term trust in the platform's neutrality.