AI Max for Search is a Google Ads campaign type that applies AI to keyword targeting, ad creative, and landing page selection. It went into beta in May 2025 and entered general availability in August 2025.
What is AI Max for Search?
AI Max for Search is built on top of standard Search campaigns and uses Google’s AI to decide which queries to match, which creative to show, and which landing page to send traffic to. Advertisers can opt in at the campaign level, including for existing campaigns. The feature sits inside the Google Ads interface, where it appears as a panel under each eligible campaign.
What are the main features of AI Max for Search?
AI Max groups its capabilities into three core features.
Search term matching
This feature expands the keyword pool beyond the exact, phrase, and broad match keywords an advertiser already has. It uses landing page content, including URLs and structured assets, as signals for matching additional queries. Google describes this as a landing-page-driven expansion of the keyword set.
Asset automation
Asset automation pulls text, images, and video from landing pages and existing ads to generate new ad components. The system writes headlines and descriptions using that source material, then mixes the generated assets with manually created ones when assembling ads. Each generated element shows an “AI-generated” label in the Google Ads interface so advertisers can spot which assets came from automation.
URL expansion
URL expansion selects landing pages dynamically based on which URL is most likely to perform best for a given query. Ads include a “Ads powered by AI” disclaimer when this feature is active.
How do you set up AI Max for Search?
Setup happens inside an existing or new Search campaign in Google Ads. Advertisers toggle on AI Max, choose the specific features they want, and set a URL inclusion parameter to control where expanded matching can route traffic. The interface includes a URL inclusion field where marketers can add the domains they want AI Max to consider, or leave it open to all URLs.
Beta advertisers in the United States also saw an early version of a brand controls panel, with toggles for brand inclusions and exclusions set at the account level. Google has framed brand controls as a forthcoming feature set rather than a default at launch.
How is AI Max different from Performance Max and Broad Match?
AI Max sits between traditional Search campaigns and Performance Max. Unlike Performance Max, AI Max does not extend to Display, Discover, YouTube, or Gmail inventory. It stays inside Search.
Compared with broad match keywords, AI Max adds landing page content as an additional matching signal. Broad match relies on keywords alone. AI Max also adds AI-driven asset generation and dynamic URL selection, both of which run separately from manual creative.
What do advertisers need to know before turning it on?
AI Max expands where ads can show and which creative can run, which raises direct control and brand safety questions. The features are also optional: advertisers can enable just search term matching, just asset automation, or any combination. URL expansion can be limited by listing specific domains in the URL inclusion field.
Each AI-generated headline, description, image, or video carries an “AI-generated” label inside Google Ads, so reviewers can audit what the system produced. Brand controls, including account-level brand inclusions and exclusions, were shown in beta to U.S. advertisers and have been positioned as a coming capability.
FAQ
When did AI Max for Search launch?
AI Max for Search entered beta in May 2025 and became generally available in August 2025.
Does AI Max for Search run on Search inventory only?
Yes. AI Max for Search runs only on Google Search and does not extend to Display, Discover, YouTube, or Gmail.
Can advertisers choose which AI Max features to enable?
Yes. Advertisers can enable any combination of search term matching, asset automation, and URL expansion at the campaign level.
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