In short: from September 2026, Google is moving some Search campaigns that use campaign-level broad match or text customization into AI Max. That does not mean every campaign has changed. It does mean you should inspect the campaigns that use those features.
You run ads yourself, open the account, and the campaigns look familiar. It is easy to conclude that nothing has changed. The important detail is that AI Max is not a separate campaign type. It is a layer inside Search that can affect search-query matching, ad copy, and landing-page selection.
Google states that, starting in September 2026, campaigns already using campaign-level broad match or text customization are automatically upgraded to AI Max. The change does not apply to every advertiser and does not prove that every AI Max setting is enabled in your account. It is a reason to open the settings of the affected campaigns instead of looking only at spend.
1. Check the searches you are paying for
A Search outcome is no longer defined only by the keyword you entered. With AI Max, search term matching can expand reach using keywords, creatives, URLs, and relevance signals. The search terms report and negative keywords therefore need regular review.
If a company renovates apartments but receives clicks from people looking for DIY renovation guides, that traffic can consume budget without producing useful leads. Review actual queries, separate commercial intent from irrelevant intent, and add exclusions where the evidence supports them.
2. Review the text Google may add
Text customization in AI Max can create additional headlines and descriptions from your domain, landing page, existing ads, and keywords. This is only useful when the source material is accurate.
Check two things. First, does your site contain old prices, services, or promises that should no longer appear in advertising? Second, can you see assets marked Google AI in the Added by column of your reports? Google provides impressions, spend, and conversion metrics for these customized text assets.
Language deserves a separate review. From September 2026, Search removes campaign-level language targeting. Ads are matched using the language of the query and the languages the user understands. The quality of the ads and landing pages matters more than the familiar campaign-level language checkbox.
3. Check Final URL expansion before paying for it
Final URL expansion can send a person to a different relevant page on your website instead of the URL manually set in the ad. Google says the feature selects pages related to the ad group and requires text customization so the ad copy can match the new page.
That is not automatically a problem. For a business, however, the difference between a service page and a generic page can change conversion quality. Open AI Max settings in the campaign, check the status of Final URL expansion, and make sure the pages on the site are ready for paid traffic.
4. Do not infer AI Mode delivery from the keyword match type
Exact and phrase match are not proof that an ad was shown only in the traditional search experience. At the same time, eligibility for a new surface does not prove that your specific ad actually served there.
Do not promise yourself or a client an “AI Mode impressions check” unless you have a confirmed reporting method for that conclusion. The practical step is to separate eligibility from actual delivery and review the data Google Ads really provides at campaign and asset level.
What to check today
- Search terms and negative keywords.
- Text customization: promises in copy, languages, and assets marked
Google AI. - Final URL expansion: whether it is enabled and whether the destination pages match the ads.
- AI Mode: do not draw conclusions about actual delivery without evidence.
“I did not change anything” is no longer enough. You need to know which settings are working with your money and whether they take people to the page you intended.
For an independent review of campaign logic, search terms, landing pages, and control settings, order the Express anti-waste audit at ikovalevskyi.com/google-ads-audit.
FAQ
Did every Search campaign automatically become AI Max?
No. Google describes automatic upgrades for campaigns that previously had selected campaign-level features enabled, including broad match settings or text customization. Check the status in your own account.
Does AI Max mean Google always changes the URL?
No. Final URL expansion is a separate AI Max setting. Its status and the relevance of destination pages should be checked in the campaign.
Where can I see text created by Google?
Use the Added by column in asset reporting. Google identifies customized text assets with Google AI and provides performance metrics for them.
Sources
- Google Ads Help: How AI Max for Search campaigns works
- Google Ads Help: About text customization in Search campaigns
- Google Ads Help: About language targeting
- Google Ads Help: View reporting for text customization