Google’s AI Max Promises Bigger Returns for Search Ads

What if the ad you just clicked wasn’t written by a marketer at all? What if it was composed, chosen, and even targeted to you by an algorithm, without anyone approving the final version beforehand?

Well, that’s not hypothetical. That’s AI Max, Google’s latest leap in search advertising, rolling out to marketers this month.

Google says it’s about better performance, more conversions, and smarter automation. But this feels like a moment for those of us who’ve spent years fine-tuning ad copy, testing keyword match types, and obsessing over landing pages.

Introducing AI Max for Search campaigns, coming soon to help you:

Toggle

Free SEO Audit: Uncover Hidden SEO Opportunities Before Your Competitors Do

Gain early access to a tailored SEO audit that reveals untapped SEO opportunities and gaps in your website.

Analyze My Site

– Maximize reach & drive performance
– Tailor your ads to match intent
– Get more control & transparency

Read more 👉 https://t.co/dj8hqS210c
Tune in live to #GML2025 👉 https://t.co/m71nrKCwc0

— Google Ads (@GoogleAds) May 6, 2025

AI Max isn’t a separate campaign type. You activate it within your existing search campaigns. But once it’s on, the system steps in, all aimed at capturing more value with less manual input.

Google claims early adopters are seeing major performance gains. But behind those numbers sits a deeper question that’s impossible to ignore, and that is, how much control are we willing to give up in exchange for growth?

AI Max: What You’re Actually Getting

Before getting into the details, let me clarify: AI Max is not Performance Max. You don’t have to start from scratch or rebuild your campaign structure. You simply flip a switch inside your existing Search campaigns, and AI Max starts working behind the scenes. But what it brings is substantial:

Smarter Matching: AI Max broadens keyword matching beyond your manual setup. Your ads can now appear for queries you never explicitly targeted.

Dynamic Ad Content: Google generates headlines and descriptions on the fly, drawing from your landing pages, ads, and keywords. It’s responsive advertising without the manual copywriting.

Landing Page Flexibility: Rather than sending everyone to the same URL, Google guides users to the page it believes best matches their intent.

You don’t have to use all of this. You can disable automated text or URL changes, or keep tighter control at the ad group level. But Google is betting you’ll see better results if you give the system full access.

And in many early cases, that’s exactly what’s happening.

Does It Actually Work? 

According to Google’s internal data, early testers of AI Max saw, on average, a 14% increase in conversions or conversion value, without an increase in cost per action. 

That figure climbs to as high as 27% for advertisers still relying heavily on exact or phrase match keywords.

Those are promising numbers. But they come from Google’s own reporting, and as with any major platform update, it’s important to treat early performance data cautiously. 

Real-world results will vary depending on industry, campaign structure, and how much control you’re willing to delegate to automation.

At this stage, marketers are watching closely. Some may be excited about the possibility of greater efficiency. Others are more reserved, weighing the benefits of automation against the risk of off-brand messaging or missed strategic intent.

It is evident that AI Max is encouraging marketers to adopt a new mindset that emphasizes adaptability and speed, even if it requires sacrificing some of the precision we have typically depended on.

Why Google Is Pushing This Now

Google’s search interface is changing quickly. With AI Overviews, visual search through Google Lens, and more complex, conversational queries becoming standard, traditional keyword strategies are becoming outdated.

AI Max is Google’s response to that reality. It acknowledges that we’re moving toward a search environment where intention matters more than phrasing, and where a user’s journey might not start or end where you expect.

But this is also a response to tension. Many advertisers have grown wary of giving Google more control, worried that automation will eventually edge out transparency. 

Let’s Talk About Control

Control is where most of the concerns lie. And rightly so.

With AI Max, you can’t pre-approve automatically created assets. They go live first, and you check them afterward. That might be fine for a direct-to-consumer brand with flexible messaging. It’s a risk for companies in regulated industries or with strict creative standards.

Pinning ad content? Not supported if you’re using the automated URL feature. Want to make sure every headline includes your brand name? You’ll need to keep an eye on reports and disable assets that miss the mark.

To its credit, Google has built in more safety rails:

Brand Filters: Let you control where your ads show up, or who they appear next to.

Geo-Intent Options: You can target users based on their intended locations, not just where they are.

Asset Management: You can remove or block generated ad content after it’s published.

These features help, but they still rely on you actively monitoring campaigns. 

Reporting Just Got Smarter

If there’s one area where AI Max is already winning fans, it’s reporting. Google is introducing better visibility into how AI-enhanced campaigns are performing:

• You can now see which search terms generated specific ad headlines and where users landed.
• Asset performance isn’t just tracked by impressions anymore. You get insights on spend and conversion impact.
• A new URL parameter structure allows deeper campaign performance tracking, especially useful if you’re segmenting by match types or audience intent.

More detailed reporting helps offset the uncertainty that comes with automation. It won’t answer every question, but it gives you more clues. And for data-driven advertisers, that matters more than anything.

Where Does AI Max Fit Among Google’s Other Campaigns?

There’s been some confusion about how AI Max stacks up against Performance Max and Dynamic Search Ads (DSAs).

Here’s the bottom line:

• Performance Max casts a wide net across all Google properties—Search, YouTube, Display, Gmail, etc. AI Max focuses only on Search.
• DSAs also dynamically choose landing pages and ad copy, but don’t offer the same keyword control. AI Max is more customizable.
• AI Max complements existing match types and won’t override exact match keywords. If someone types your exact keyword, your ad still wins the auction.

If you’re using both AI Max and Performance Max, Google says your Search campaign will take priority when there’s an exact match, offering some peace of mind for marketers worried about cannibalization.

Who Should Think Twice Before Using AI Max?

This setting isn’t going to work for every brand. I wouldn’t recommend enabling AI Max in campaigns where any of the following apply:

• Your ad copy must be approved by legal or compliance before publishing.
• You rely heavily on pinned text to maintain a specific brand tone.
• Your website changes frequently, making automatic landing page selection risky.
• You operate in regulated spaces like healthcare, finance, or law, where accuracy isn’t just preferred—it’s essential.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t test it. But you’ll want to proceed carefully. Segment your campaigns. Start small. And don’t enable AI Max on everything at once.

Thinking of Testing AI Max? Here’s What I’d Do First 

Having explored this setting hands-on, here’s the best way to approach it:

1. Start with low-risk campaigns. Don’t enable it across your highest spend campaigns on day one.
2. Keep a close eye on reporting. Check how assets are performing and what queries are triggering your ads.
3. Test it directly against your existing setup. Use A/B testing tools to measure true lift.
4. Disable what you can’t monitor closely. If you can’t review dynamic text daily, consider opting out of that part.
5. Educate your stakeholders. Make sure leadership or clients understand what’s changing and why it matters.

Key Takeaways

• AI Max is not a new campaign type. It’s a setting you can activate within existing Search campaigns to apply Google’s AI-powered automation tools.
• Automation includes ad copy and landing pages. 
• You won’t approve content before it goes live. Dynamically generated assets are published automatically and can only be reviewed or removed afterward.
• Exact match keywords will continue to take priority, even when AI Max is enabled.
• Brands with strict compliance rules, sensitive messaging, or highly structured ad formats may need to use it cautiously.