Google has announced a new Google Ads search campaign feature named AI Max. Google says AI Max for Search campaigns is a "new, one-click feature suite" that brings you a "suite of targeting and creative enhancements" of "the best of Google AI to your Search campaigns." Note - I believe this is the rumored Search Max we've been seeing but named AI Max now.
Google said AI Max is rolling out to all advertisers globally in beta starting later this month. Plus, you can see the API details on API Max over here.
(1) Search term matching lets you expand upon your "existing keywords using broad match and keywordless technology to find more relevant and high-performing search queries," Google wrote. Google AI will learn from your current keywords, creatives and URLs to help you show up on more relevant searches, Google added. This works like how Search and Performance Max campaigns work, specifically with the keywords and keywordless matches are prioritized.
(2) In "asset optimization" panel in the new Google Ads section of AI Max, text customization — formerly known as “automatically created assets” can help you generate new text assets based on your landing page, ads and keywords. Google said it has improved its ability to generate assets that feature clear call-to-actions and unique selling points.
(3) AI Max brings more controls that "give you the precision you previously used keywords for," Google wrote. Plus in AI Max for Search campaigns, locations of interest helps you reach specific customers based on their geographical intent at the ad group level. Plus with brand controls at both the campaign and ad group level, you can specify the exact brands you want your ads to be associated with, or prevent your ads from appearing alongside specific brands.
There is also a new URL parameter that gives you greater visibility into search terms across all match types, so you can optimize your landing pages in real time and maintain detailed tracking as you expand your targeting.
Greg Finn has a larger write up on this on his site over here. Menachem Ani posted his thoughts over here. Jyll Saskin Gales posted her thoughts over here.
Some quick thoughts on AI Max in this video and a full writeup on why I think it can be the future of matching:https://t.co/pt0z3rGoXP https://t.co/IF3i0ChMk2 pic.twitter.com/FVPyJBFPVM
— Greg Finn (@gregfinn) May 6, 2025
Google is also rolling out reporting improvements to both Search and Performance Max over the next few weeks. Headlines and URLs in the search terms report give you a clearer view into your customer’s ad journey. And the improved asset reports show you how your assets are performing against KPIs like spend and conversions, not just impressions. You’ll have the option to remove any generated assets with asset removals, or specify where you'd like to send your customers with URL controls, Google wrote.
➕ Plus, there are additional controls & reporting for AI Max:
— AdsLiaison (@adsliaison) May 6, 2025
• 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗱 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 to reach users based on their geographic intent.
• 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀/𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 at both the campaign and ad…
Here is more from Ginny Marvin:
This means more conversions at roughly the same cost per conversion. The goal is to find more conversions/conversion value within your budget and your stated goals.
— AdsLiaison (@adsliaison) May 6, 2025
This is opt-in. Enabling it turns all three features on at once, but you can opt out of text customization and final URL expansion, or both, at the campaign level, and out of Search term matching at the ad group level. This is currently in beta, so it is not default on for new…
— AdsLiaison (@adsliaison) May 6, 2025
Assets are generated based on your ad's unique context, which includes your landing page, existing ads, and keywords in your ad group. You can continue to remove any assets you no longer want to show. The text customization feature is not recommended for advertisers that have…
— AdsLiaison (@adsliaison) May 6, 2025
Hi Collin, To clarify a bit, this is not a new campaign type but an opt-in campaign setting in Search campaigns.
— AdsLiaison (@adsliaison) May 6, 2025
There are three key features, one being search term matching which in part uses keywordless technology to target queries based on the content on your landing pages –…
Ads from Search using broad match (with or without AI Max enabled), Performance Max, and Standard Shopping campaigns are eligible to show within AI Overviews.
— AdsLiaison (@adsliaison) May 6, 2025
I'm referring to ads from those 3 campaign types, including Standard Shopping campaigns.
— AdsLiaison (@adsliaison) May 6, 2025
Ginny also answered questions on LinkedIn:
The ad group level controls enables new use cases to reach users based on expressed geo intent if present in the search, otherwise if there is no expressed geo intent, then it’s based on their physical location.You can continue to set location at the campaign level (and use “Presence” or “Presence or interest”) and then specify locations at the ad group level. Per your example, you can set California as the location (“Presence”) at the campaign level and then have an ad group set to ‘Los Angeles’.
Note that both campaign level and ad group level location requirements need to be met for the query to match.
This works well in several use cases, such as (i) a local business who wants to show ads to people interested in their business location – either via expressed geo intent in their search or with no geo in the query but are physically in the area or (ii) to reach users physically in one location (defined at the campaign level) but who are searching for another location (defined at the ad group level).
This is opt-in. Enabling it turns all 3 features on at once, but you can opt out of text customization & final URL expansion, or both, at the campaign level, and out of Search term matching at the ad group level. It's currently in beta, so not default on for new campaigns at this time.
AI Max for Search campaigns is the new name at launch.
For A/B testing, drafts & experiments are available to utilize with AI Max. More customized A/B testing capability is on the roadmap.
For eligible campaigns (those using AI Max for Search Ads), the returned value of the new ValueTrack parameter will be similar to a keyword that could match the query. For example: “extra large mens hats” could be the value when a user searches for “find good hats for men with large heads”. More details
This is entirely optional – it’s not a new campaign type or a migration. The opt-in turns all three features on at once, but you can opt out of text customization and final URL expansion, or both, at the campaign level, and out of Search term matching at the ad group level.Keep in mind, negative keywords still work the same when AI Max features are enabled. Additionally, assets are generated based on your ad's unique context, which includes your landing page, existing ads, and keywords in your ad group.
The keywordless targeting used in search term matching targets queries based on the content on your landing pages – like DSA – as well as by the content in your assets.
1. Yes AI Max for Search campaigns is the new name at launch2. No it does not replace existing keyword targeting but uses broad match and keywordless matching to expand reach to new queries. Additionally keyword prioritization will work the same as it does today, even with AI Max settings turned on. If the user’s search query is identical to an eligible Search keyword of any match type in your account, the Search campaign will be prioritized over Search Max expansions, and PMax.
3. Yes, you can and should still optimize your RSAs – as well as learn from generated assets if you enable text customization.
For more details on AI Max, what it is, how to set it up, some FAQs and more - see this help site from Google with more details.
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