If you’re running Dynamic Search Ads (DSA) as part of your Google Ads strategy, there’s a significant change coming that you need to be aware of. Google has officially announced that DSA, along with automatically created assets (ACA) and campaign-level broad match settings, will be automatically upgraded to AI Max for Search campaigns starting in September 2026.
This is a big shift in how Google wants advertisers to approach Search, and it has real implications for how campaigns are managed, how much control you retain, and how your budget performs.
Here’s everything you need to know.
What Is AI Max?
AI Max for Search campaigns is Google’s next-generation, AI-powered replacement for several legacy automation features. It’s been in beta for some time now, with hundreds of thousands of advertisers already using it globally and Google has now confirmed it’s officially moving out of beta.
At its core, AI Max combines three key capabilities:
- Search term matching goes beyond keyword targeting to find relevant queries based on broader intent signals, not just your website content
- Text customisation dynamically adapts your ad copy to be more relevant to each search
- Final URL expansion automatically sends users to the most relevant landing page on your site
Google’s internal data claims that advertisers using the full AI Max feature suite see an average of 7% more conversions or conversion value at a similar CPA or ROAS compared to using search term matching alone. That’s a meaningful uplift if it holds true across different verticals and account types.
What’s Changing and When
The timeline breaks down into two key phases:
Now: Voluntary upgrades begin. Google has already started rolling out upgrade tools for DSA users, allowing you to port your historical settings and data into new standard ad groups. If you use ACA or campaign-level broad match, you’ll see a prompt in your Google Ads UI to upgrade.
September 2026: Automatic upgrades kick in. Any remaining eligible campaigns using DSA, ACA, or campaign-level broad match will be automatically migrated to AI Max. From this point, you also won’t be able to create new campaigns using DSA, whether through the Google Ads interface, Google Ads Editor, or the API.
When auto-upgrades happen, Google says it will mirror your existing settings as closely as possible:
- DSA campaigns will convert to standard ad groups, with all three AI Max features enabled and legacy URL controls preserved
- ACA campaigns will upgrade with search term matching and text customisation turned on
- Campaign-level broad match campaigns will upgrade with search term matching enabled
What This Means
We want to be straightforward with you: this is a significant change, and we think it’s worth approaching it with both an open mind and a healthy degree of scrutiny.
The case for embracing it early
The strongest argument for upgrading voluntarily, rather than waiting for the automatic migration is control. When Google auto-upgrades your campaigns in September, the settings will be configured to replicate your legacy setup as closely as possible, but you’ll have had no say in how that’s done or any opportunity to test and learn beforehand.
By transitioning now, we can run Google’s one-click experiments to compare AI Max performance against your current setup, dial in your settings to reflect your actual business goals, and arrive at September already confident in how your campaigns are performing.
The case for caution
It’s also worth being honest about what AI Max represents: less keyword-level control, more trust in Google’s AI. If your campaigns have historically relied on tightly managed keyword lists, carefully controlled match types, and granular negative keyword strategies, the shift to AI Max will feel like loosening the reins.
The new controls Google has introduced; brand controls, location controls, and text guidelines are designed to give you steering capability within the AI-driven framework. These are meaningful guardrails, and we’d encourage every client to review them carefully. But they are not a substitute for the precision of traditional keyword management.
Watch your search term reports
With AI Max expanding the range of queries your ads can show for, keeping a close eye on your search term reports becomes more important than ever. The system is designed to find “untapped queries” which is great when those queries are genuinely relevant, and a waste of budget when they’re not. Regular negative keyword reviews will remain essential.
Creative quality matters more now
Because AI Max dynamically customises your ad text, the quality and range of your creative inputs directly influences what gets shown. Investing time in strong headlines, descriptions, and landing pages isn’t just good practice; under AI Max, it has a more direct bearing on performance than ever before.
Our Recommendation
Don’t wait until September. The voluntary upgrade path gives you the ability to transition on your own terms, test performance in a controlled way, and raise any concerns before the automatic migration takes over.
The Bigger Picture
This change is part of a broader, accelerating trend in Google Ads toward AI-led campaign management. Over the past few years, we’ve seen the rise of Performance Max, the gradual phase-out of expanded text ads, and the increasing weight placed on automated bidding. The retirement of DSA in favour of AI Max is the next step in that direction.
For advertisers who have been resistant to automation, this is a forcing function. For those who have already embraced it, it’s largely business as usual but with more powerful tools.
What doesn’t change is the need for strong strategy, quality creative assets, well-structured accounts, and regular, expert oversight. The platforms are getting smarter, but they still perform best when guided by people who understand your business, your customers, and your goals.
That’s what we’re here for.
Have questions about how this affects your Google Ads campaigns? Get in touch with the Koozai team and we’ll walk you through what to expect.
