Google is moving some Search campaigns to AI Max this month. If a campaign uses automatically created assets or the campaign-level broad match setting, Google will move it over by the end of September, whether or not anyone on your team asked for it.
Most of the change happens inside campaign settings, so it’s easy to miss until your October report looks different.
Key Takeaways
- From September 1 to 30, 2026, Google is migrating Search campaigns that use automatically created assets or the campaign-level broad match setting into AI Max.
- Campaigns that used automatically created assets come over with search term matching and text customization turned on. Campaigns that used campaign-level broad match come over with search term matching turned on.
- Dynamic Search Ads have until February 2027, and you can still create new DSA campaigns until early 2027.
- September’s numbers mix the old settings and the new ones, so compare October with August.
What is Google changing in September 2026?
Google is retiring two legacy Search settings in favour of AI Max. Since August 3, 2026, advertisers can’t create a new campaign with the campaign-level broad match setting or legacy automatically created assets, whether in Google Ads, Google Ads Editor or the API. Between September 1 and 30, Google is migrating the campaigns that still use them. Search Engine Land has the full timeline.
Google says campaigns move in place with equivalent AI Max settings, and existing brand inclusions and exclusions carry over. Google also shows notifications in your account before the switch, so look there if you’re not sure whether your account is affected.
What changes inside a migrated campaign?
That depends on which legacy setting the campaign used. In Google’s announcement, automatically created assets map to two AI Max features: search term matching and text customization. The campaign-level broad match setting maps to one: search term matching.
Search term matching uses broad match along with your ads, assets and landing pages to find relevant searches beyond your existing keywords. Text customization uses your existing ads, landing page copy and assets, along with generative AI, to write ad copy that fits each search more closely. You can turn text customization off in campaign settings, and search term matching off at the ad group level.
For campaigns with text customization on, your landing page copy now feeds your ads, so it’s worth keeping those pages sharp. Our landing page checklist is a quick way to review them.
What about Dynamic Search Ads?
Dynamic Search Ads (DSA) campaigns are on a later timeline. In June, Google moved the DSA migration to February 2027 after advertisers asked for more time, and restored the ability to create new DSA campaigns until early 2027. Google plans to send reminders in January.
When DSA campaigns move, they get all three AI Max features: search term matching, text customization and final URL expansion, with their existing URL controls preserved.
What should you check in your account this month?
1. Pull your August numbers
August is the last full month before campaigns started switching. Export your results by campaign now, so you have a clear before picture when October’s report arrives.
2. See which campaigns moved
Open each Search campaign’s settings and check whether AI Max is on and which of its features are running.
3. Read the new ads and your search terms
If a campaign used automatically created assets, read the ad copy that text customization is writing. Then keep an eye on your search terms, since search term matching can show your ads on searches your keywords don’t cover. If lead quality is the number you watch most, our guide to driving high-quality leads with Google Ads covers the basics.
How should you read October’s results?
Compare October with August. Because campaigns switch at different points in the month, September’s numbers mix the old settings and the new ones. Allow for normal seasonality between August and October, and expect some movement either way: new search terms from search term matching and new ad copy wherever text customization is on.
FAQ
From September 1 to 30, 2026, for campaigns that use automatically created assets or the campaign-level broad match setting. Dynamic Search Ads campaigns follow in February 2027.
Yes, for now. Google restored DSA campaign creation in June 2026 and plans to remove it again in early 2027.
Yes. Google announced the change in April 2026, updated the timeline in June and shows notifications in affected accounts before campaigns switch.
It writes ad copy for each search, using generative AI along with your existing ads, landing page copy and assets. Campaigns that used automatically created assets have it turned on when they move to AI Max.
Elite Digital manages Google Ads for Canadian brands and keeps track of changes like this one. If you’d like a second look at your account, talk to our paid media team: https://elitedigitalagency.com/services/digital-media-services.
