What did Google's AI Max auto-upgrade change in my Search campaigns?
Starting September 1, 2026 and rolling out through the month, Google turned on AI Max in Search campaigns that used the campaign-level broad match setting or the old automatically created assets. Broad match campaigns got search term matching on, with text customization and final URL expansion off, and kept their brand lists. Automatically created assets campaigns got search term matching and text customization on, with final URL expansion off. Since August 3, 2026, you can't create either old setting. Dynamic Search Ads are next: automatic migration runs February 1 to 28, 2027.
As of October 2026.
How do I know if my campaigns were upgraded?
Check the AI Max section of each campaign's settings; upgraded campaigns have it switched on. In the Google Ads API, campaign.aca_migration_date_time and campaign.broad_match_migration_date_time hold the migration date. Google's sample query joins the two with AND, which returns only campaigns migrated for both, so run one query per field.
What exactly did the upgrade turn on?
Google moved each campaign "in-place to equivalent AI Max settings":
| Old setting | Search term matching | Text customization | Final URL expansion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Campaign-level broad match (kept its brand lists) | On | Off | Off |
| Automatically created assets | On | On | Off |
| Dynamic Search Ads (from February 2027) | On | On | On, with old URL controls kept |
Search term matching uses "broad match, asset-based, and landing page-based technology," so ads can show on searches that match none of your keywords. Text customization is the new name for automatically created assets and writes extra headlines and descriptions. Final URL expansion can send a click to a different page on your site than the one you set.
Why should exact and phrase match campaigns check this?
Because they may now match far more searches. If a campaign built on exact and phrase match keywords had automatically created assets on, the upgrade also turned on search term matching. Check its search terms first.
What happens to Dynamic Search Ads?
They move to AI Max from February 1 to 28, 2027, becoming standard Search ad groups with AI Max on. Google delayed this from September 2026 in a June 11, 2026 post and will send impacted accounts a reminder on January 15, 2027. Google's posts differ on when DSA creation ends: the June 11 post says January 2027, and the August 12 post says February 2027, when migration starts. On what leftover DSAs become, the June 11 post says "Performance Max or AI-powered Search campaigns," while the August 12 post says "standard Search ad groups with AI Max enabled." Google's Ads & Commerce blog post, updated June 11, also says standard ad groups, with all three AI Max features on.
Can I upgrade Dynamic Search Ads myself?
Yes, with the upgrade callout in the campaign's Dynamic Search Ads settings. Dynamic ad groups become standard ad groups, and DSAs become responsive search ads, with Google writing the minimum assets needed. Old DSA targets that AI Max doesn't support become read-only, and the old DSAs keep serving until the new ads pass policy review.
Will my negative keywords still work?
Yes. Google says "Negative keywords will be respected even with AI Max turned on." It also suggests waiting at least 2 weeks after turning on AI Max before changes such as adding negatives. For B2B, searches for jobs, free tools, definitions or student material are usually the first to block.
How do I see which searches AI Max added?
Use the search terms report: filter "Match type" for "AI Max" and add the "Source" column (Google notes this filter leaves out "Other search terms"). The "Search terms and ad combinations" view shows each search with the headline and landing page that served, and you can add a row as a negative keyword or negative URL. At the bottom of the Keywords report, "Total: AI Max expanded matches" and "Total: AI Max landing page matches" sum AI Max traffic.
How do I keep AI Max away from the wrong brands, places or pages?
Use AI Max's own controls. Brand lists live under Tools, then Shared library, then Brand lists, and you apply them in the AI Max settings panel.
| Control | What it does | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Brand inclusions | Only serve on searches related to brands you list | Campaign or ad group |
| Brand exclusions | Keep ads off searches for brands you list | Campaign |
| Location controls | Match on a searcher's geographic intent, even in keywordless matches | Ad group |
| URL inclusions | Add pages final URL expansion missed | Ad group |
| URL exclusions | Stop pages from being used as landing pages | Campaign |
Google says pinned assets aren't used when final URL expansion picks a more relevant page, or at all when URL inclusions are on. If you rely on pinned headlines, turn final URL expansion off and skip URL inclusions.
Should a B2B advertiser keep AI Max on?
Keep it only where a test shows it holds your cost per qualified lead. Google says campaigns using all three features see "an average of 7% more conversions or conversion value at a similar CPA/ROAS" than search term matching alone, but that is Google's internal 2026 data for non-retail advertisers, and it counts conversions, not pipeline. If your conversion is a form fill, more conversions can mean more unqualified leads. AI Max experiments split a campaign into AI Max on and off, and since Google's August 20, 2026 update they can run with brand and location controls on.
Can I turn it off?
Yes: go to Settings in the Campaigns menu, select the campaign, choose AI Max in the section menu, and switch it off. That turns off every AI Max feature, and Google warns it also disables any brand exclusions the campaign runs. You can instead switch off final URL expansion alone, text customization (which also turns off final URL expansion), or search term matching in ad group settings. You can't return to the old campaign-level broad match setting or automatically created assets, because Google has blocked creating them since August 3, 2026.
Where Tofu fits
Tofu Ads Agent (our product) builds Google Search campaigns: keyword research checked against Keyword Planner, themed ad groups, responsive search ads, bidding strategy and negative keywords drawn from search terms. Tofu doesn't manage AI Max settings or run AI Max experiments. You control those in Google Ads.
Sources
- Migrate Campaign-level Broad Match and Automatically Created Assets to AI Max, checked October 23, 2026
- Dynamic Search Ads (DSA) Automigration Delayed to February 2027 and Campaign Creation Restored, checked October 23, 2026
- We're upgrading Dynamic Search Ads to AI Max, checked October 23, 2026
- New AI Max tools can help you scale Search campaigns, checked October 23, 2026
- How AI Max for Search campaigns works, checked October 23, 2026
- Frequently asked questions about AI Max for Search campaigns, checked October 23, 2026
- About reporting in AI Max for Search campaigns, checked October 23, 2026
- Set up AI Max for Search campaigns, checked October 23, 2026
- About Dynamic Search Ads, checked October 23, 2026
- About AI Max experiments, checked October 23, 2026
