Google is moving every legacy Search campaign onto AI Max for Search, and the clock is now public. Starting in September 2026, the platform automatically upgrades campaign-level broad match and automatically created assets, with Dynamic Search Ads following in February 2027. So if you run Google Ads, doing nothing still means migration, just on Google’s schedule instead of yours. The smart move is to review your accounts now, learn the new controls, and upgrade on your own terms. This guide lays out the full AI Max for Search timeline, what carries over automatically, the features and controls you keep, and the steps to prepare before each deadline hits.
Key takeaways
- AI Max for Search is an optimization layer on standard Search campaigns, not a new campaign type.
- Automatic migration of campaign-level broad match and automatically created assets begins in September 2026.
- Dynamic Search Ads migrate automatically in February 2027, and new DSA ad groups end for good.
- Google reports about 7% more conversions or conversion value at a similar CPA when the full feature suite runs.
- You cannot opt out permanently, so prepare early to keep control of URLs, brand terms, and creative.
What is AI Max for Search?
AI Max for Search is a suite of targeting and creative features that sits on top of your existing Search campaigns. It is not a new campaign type. Instead, it acts as a continuous optimization layer that broadens reach and generates creative using machine learning. Three components do the work:
- Search term matching: broad match plus keywordless technology finds queries your keywords miss, and reports them under a new AI Max match type.
- Text customization: Google generates and tailors ad text to the query and the best-fit landing page.
- Final URL expansion: the system routes each click to the most relevant page on your domain.
Google says the full suite delivers about 7% more conversions or conversion value at a similar CPA or ROAS compared with running only limited features. This is the same automation push behind AI Max for Shopping campaigns in Ads Editor, now aimed squarely at Search. Because it reaches beyond your keyword list, it works a lot like non-linear targeting that reaches buyers keywords miss.
The AI Max migration timeline at a glance
Google has published a phased schedule that runs from mid-2026 into 2027. Here are the dates that matter.
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| August 3, 2026 | Creation of new campaign-level broad match and legacy automatically created assets blocked across the UI, Ads Editor, and API |
| September 2026 | Automatic migration of campaign-level broad match and ACA campaigns to AI Max begins, plus in-account notices to upgrade Dynamic Search Ads voluntarily |
| January 15, 2027 | Reminder notifications go out for legacy Dynamic Search Ads |
| February 2027 | Automatic Dynamic Search Ads migration begins, and creation of new DSA ad groups is permanently removed |
| September 2027 (estimated) | Older API versions that still support legacy features reach sunset |
The pattern is clear. First Google blocks new legacy setups, then it upgrades existing ones automatically, and finally it retires the old API support.
What carries over automatically?
Google says the upgrades happen in place, using equivalent AI Max settings to limit disruption. So your campaign keeps its identity while the engine underneath changes. A few specifics help you plan:
- Existing brand inclusions and exclusions carry over automatically.
- DSA campaigns become standard ad groups with all three AI Max features enabled, and your legacy URL controls stay in place.
- ACA and broad match campaigns get search term matching and text customization turned on by default.
The migration protects your guardrails, but it still flips automation on. Therefore you should confirm every carried-over setting rather than assume it landed correctly.
What controls do you keep with AI Max?
AI Max answers the biggest objection to automation: loss of control. You keep several levers, and using them is the difference between guided automation and a black box.
- Brand controls: include or exclude brand terms at the campaign and ad group level.
- Locations of interest: tighten geographic targeting at the ad group level.
- URL exclusions and inclusions: block pages AI Max should never use, and add pages the automation misses.
- Text guidelines: set guardrails on AI-generated copy, now available globally for all advertisers.
You can also lock creative in your best ad groups while letting AI Max experiment elsewhere. That kind of oversight matters as automated systems expand, the same reason we track Google Ads AI disclosure labels across the platform.
How should you prepare for the AI Max migration?
Preparation beats a surprise upgrade every time. Work through a short checklist before September:
- Audit each Search campaign, and note which ones use broad match, ACA, or Dynamic Search Ads.
- Run a one-click AI Max experiment to see the performance impact before the forced switch.
- Build URL exclusion lists so AI Max never sends traffic to checkout, login, or thin pages.
- Set text guidelines to keep AI copy on brand.
- Review scripts, rules, and API integrations for compatibility with AI Max settings.
Handle those now, and the automatic migration becomes a formality. Skip them, and you inherit whatever defaults Google applies. For high-stakes accounts in high-value professional niches, that difference can swing a monthly budget.
Frequently asked questions
What is AI Max for Search?
It is an optimization layer on standard Google Search campaigns that adds search term matching, text customization, and final URL expansion. It enhances your existing campaigns rather than replacing them with a new type.
When does the AI Max migration start?
Automatic migration of campaign-level broad match and automatically created assets begins in September 2026. Dynamic Search Ads migrate automatically in February 2027.
Can I opt out of AI Max?
Not permanently. You can toggle individual features off in settings and delay voluntary upgrades, but the automatic migration proceeds on Google’s schedule once each deadline passes.
Does AI Max improve performance?
Google reports about 7% more conversions or conversion value at a similar CPA or ROAS when advertisers run the full feature suite instead of limited features. Results still vary by account.
What happens to Dynamic Search Ads?
Dynamic Search Ads upgrade to AI Max standard ad groups, with all three features enabled and legacy URL controls preserved. Creation of new DSA ad groups ends in February 2027.
The bottom line
The AI Max for Search migration is not a question of if, only when and how prepared you are. Google set the dates, so use the runway. Audit your campaigns, run an experiment, lock down URLs and brand terms, and set text guidelines before September. Do that, and you move to AI Max on your terms with your guardrails intact. For the official detail, read Google’s guide to how AI Max for Search works and its announcement on upgrading Dynamic Search Ads to AI Max.
