Google Ads AI Max for Search Campaigns: A Complete Guide to the New Beta

Google has officially announced a significant advancement in search advertising with the introduction of AI Max for Search campaigns. This new feature represents a major shift in how advertisers can leverage artificial intelligence to improve their search ad performance. Set to begin rolling out in beta on May 27, 2025, AI Max promises to transform how businesses connect with potential customers through Google’s advertising platform.

What is AI Max for Search Campaigns?

AI Max is Google’s latest innovation for Search campaigns, combining advanced AI capabilities to help advertisers expand their reach and improve ad performance. Rather than simply matching user queries with keywords, AI Max uses predictive capabilities to anticipate user intent—even for complex and nuanced searches that advertisers might otherwise miss.

This new suite brings together several AI-powered features under one umbrella, making it easier for advertisers to leverage Google’s most advanced technologies without disrupting their existing campaign structures or reporting processes.

Key Features of AI Max for Search

The AI Max suite includes several powerful components designed to enhance different aspects of search advertising:

Search Term Matching

This feature assesses an advertiser’s current keyword list, creative assets, and URLs to identify additional relevant search queries that could be valuable for the brand. It helps advertisers expand their reach by ensuring ads appear for relevant queries they may have overlooked in their keyword planning.

Text & URL Optimization

AI Max automatically generates and customizes ad creatives based on user intent and available assets. The system can also select more relevant landing pages for specific searches, improving the user experience and potentially increasing conversion rates.

Unlike previous solutions, these assets will be fully automated with no manual customization options for grammar or special offers.

How AI Max Differs from Existing Solutions

AI Max represents an evolution of Google’s previous advertising tools, combining elements from different solutions while maintaining the familiarity of Search campaigns:

AI Max is described as “an evolution of DSA and Performance Max with Final URL expansion, while including the convenience and control of Search campaigns.” It uses a broader understanding of the URLs in your domain and leverages more comprehensive asset generation technologies than its predecessors.

Regarding campaign interactions, Google has clarified that AI Max for Search campaigns will function similarly to the interaction between broad match and Performance Max. When a query is eligible to match candidates in both AI Max and Performance Max, the one with the highest Ad Rank will serve.

Implementation Timeline

The open beta launch for AI Max for Search campaigns in the Google Ads UI begins on May 27, 2025. However, full support in the Google Ads API is planned for v21, expected in August 2025.

During this transitional phase, advertisers should be aware of potential API conflicts. When AI Max is enabled for a campaign via the UI, several legacy features will be grouped into the new AI Max settings:

• Text customization (formerly known as Automatically created assets)
• Campaign-level broad match settings
• Brand inclusions (previously tied to campaign-level broad match)
• Campaign-level brand exclusions

Currently, AI Max is not available in Google Ads Editor or the API, with support expected later in 2025.

Early Adopters and Performance Expectations

Companies like L’Oréal and Australian utility connection firm MyConnect have been early testers of AI Max for Search. While specific performance metrics haven’t been shared publicly yet, Google’s broader AI initiatives have shown promising results.

For comparison, advertisers testing the Final URL expansion feature in Performance Max (a related technology) saw “an average increase of over 9% in conversions/conversion value at a similar Cost Per Action (CPA)/Return on Ad Spend (ROAS).”

Strategic Implications for Advertisers

AI Max represents part of Google’s broader strategy to transform advertising in 2025—a shift that executives have described as even more significant than the mobile revolution. The company has been focusing on three major areas:

• Evolution of search behavior beyond keywords toward multimodal experiences
• AI-powered creative tools for marketers
• Enhanced measurement capabilities across all channels

For advertisers, this means preparing for a fundamental change in how consumers discover products and services. Those who quickly adapt to these new AI-driven tools may gain a competitive advantage, while those who delay might fall behind.

Preparing for AI Max Implementation

If you’re planning to test AI Max when it becomes available, here are some key considerations:

• Team coordination: Inform your team before enabling or disabling AI Max, as it may cause errors for API requests managing automatically created assets and brand settings.
• Testing approach: Google has designed AI Max to be easy to turn on or off with minimal disruption to ongoing operations and reporting.
• Performance expectations: Be prepared for an initial learning period. As with any AI system, results may improve over time as the system learns.

Conclusion

Google’s AI Max for Search campaigns represents a significant evolution in search advertising technology. By combining advanced AI capabilities for query matching and creative optimization, Google aims to help advertisers connect with their target audiences in moments that would previously be inaccessible.

As the beta rolls out beginning May 27, 2025, advertisers should prepare to test these new capabilities while understanding the potential for this technology to fundamentally reshape search marketing strategies. Those who embrace and master these new AI-driven tools early may find themselves with a substantial competitive advantage in the rapidly evolving digital advertising landscape.