Starting in September 2026, Google began automatically upgrading Search campaigns that use automatically created assets (ACA) or the campaign-level broad match setting to AI Max. Per Google, ACA campaigns get search term matching and text customization switched on; broad match campaigns get search term matching. Google said it expected these upgrades to wrap up by the end of September.
The Dynamic Search Ads upgrade was pushed back: Google says the DSA sunset and auto-upgrade will begin in February 2027.
The steps
- 01
Find what moved
Check each account’s notifications and change history for the AI Max upgrade, and list affected campaigns.
- 02
Confirm which features are on
Note whether search term matching, text customization and final URL expansion are enabled. They differ by legacy setting.
- 03
Read the new search terms
Compare the search terms report before and after the upgrade date. Flag services or areas the client doesn’t offer.
- 04
Set the guardrails
Use negatives plus the brand and location controls and text guidelines Google offers in AI Max to keep matching and ad copy on-brief.
- 05
Test, don’t guess
If you’re unsure, run Google’s experiment option against the old setup rather than switching features off blind.
- 06
Tell the client
Send the “For your clients” note below and log the date in your reporting.
Template: a copy-ready checklist for this playbook is coming soon.
Your checklist
- Run the six steps on every Google Ads account you manage.
- Save before/after search-term snapshots for each client.
Sources
- We’re upgrading Dynamic Search Ads to AI Max (updated June 11, 2026)Google Ads & Commerce Blog · April 15, 2026
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