# What is AI Max for Search campaigns?

> AI Max for Search is a set of Google Ads settings in Search campaigns that widen matching, rewrite ad text and expand final URLs. What it does and how to test it.
- **Author**: Marxx
- **Published**: 2026-11-10
- **Category**: Google
- **URL**: https://marxx.ai/library-glossary/ai-max-for-search

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AI Max for Search campaigns is a set of Google Ads settings you switch on inside an existing Search campaign. It widens which searches your ads match, writes ad text for you, and can send people to a different page on your site. It is not a separate campaign type ([Google Ads Help](https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/15910187), checked 2026-10-20).

## The three features

| Feature | What it does | Set at |
|---|---|---|
| Search term matching | Matches searches beyond your keywords | Ad group |
| Text customization | Makes headlines and descriptions with generative AI | Campaign |
| Final URL expansion | Sends people to another page on your site if Google expects it to do better | Campaign |

Final URL expansion needs text customization on. Google also offers brand and URL controls to keep ads off pages and queries you do not want.

## How to turn it on

For an existing campaign, open Campaigns, then Settings, pick the Search campaign and choose AI Max. For a new Search campaign, Google selects AI Max by default ([Google Ads Help](https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/15909989), checked 2026-10-20). You can opt out of all AI Max settings later.

Google says these features need conversion-based Smart Bidding to work well (same page). It also says AI Max will not be effective if your campaign is limited by budget ([Google Ads Help](https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/15910187), checked 2026-10-20).

## A worked example

Say a Search campaign spends INR 60,000 over 30 days and gets 60 leads.

**Cost per lead = spend / leads**

- Before: INR 60,000 / 60 = **INR 1,000**
- After 30 days with AI Max, same budget, 66 leads: INR 60,000 / 66 = **INR 909**
- Or 54 leads: INR 60,000 / 54 = **INR 1,111**

Either way, open the search terms report. Searches that cost money and bring no leads need negative keywords. Pages you do not want visited need URL exclusions. Google's AI Max experiments split one campaign into a control with AI Max off and a trial with it on ([Google Ads Help](https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/16450159), checked 2026-10-20).

## Dynamic Search Ads are moving to it

Google will upgrade Dynamic Search Ads campaigns to AI Max. A June 11, 2026 update moved the start of the automatic upgrade to February 2027 ([Google](https://blog.google/products/ads-commerce/dsa-upgrade-to-ai-max-2026/), checked 2026-10-20). Google also says keywordless targeting in AI Max is one way for ads to match in [AI Overviews](/glossary/ai-overviews) ([Google Ads Help](https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/16297775), checked 2026-10-20). Track [CPA](/glossary/cpa) before and after, and watch [Ad Strength](/glossary/ad-strength) for generated text.

Marxx has a hosted [MCP server](/mcp). Claude, or any MCP client, can read your Google Ads performance through it. Then you can ask about it in chat. We make Marxx. See [how to connect Google Ads to an AI assistant](/guides/how-to-connect-google-ads-to-claude).

## FAQ

### Is AI Max on by default?

For new Search campaigns, yes. Google selects it by default, so untick it if you do not want it.

### Can I stop it sending people to some pages?

Yes. Google lets you add URL exclusions to block pages from final URL expansion. You can also turn final URL expansion off by itself.

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