Google Ads Introduces AI Max for Search: The evolution of search campaigns?

Kyle Headland | 14 May, 2025 | 4 minute read | Blog, PPC

Last week, Google announced one of its most significant changes to paid search in recent years: AI Max for Search.

This new feature brings Performance Max-style automation to Search campaigns, aiming to uncover untapped queries and reach audiences that traditional setups might miss. With Google looking to mould with users’ search patterns, it was only a matter of time before Performance Max capabilities were built into existing search campaign setups.

With an open beta launching later this month across all Google Ads accounts, it’s time to explore what this means for advertisers—and whether we should dive in headfirst or approach with caution.

What is AI Max for Search?

Unlike Performance Max (PMax), where advertiser control is notoriously limited, AI Max gives us a bit more say in how campaigns run.

AI Max expands your keyword coverage using a mix of broad match and keywordless targeting. It learns from your current Search campaigns—looking at your keywords, ad copy, and landing pages—to surface relevant new queries you may not be targeting yet.

Google’s also rebranded “automatically created assets” as text customisation. This allows AI to adapt your ad copy in real time, generating headlines and descriptions tailored to match the intent behind a user’s search.

What Makes AI Max Different from PMax?

I’ve never been a fan of handing complete creative control over to AI—and I know I’m not alone. A quick scroll through LinkedIn shows plenty of marketers share this concern.

But AI Max feels like a step in the right direction.

It offers more transparency and control than PMax, including:

• The option to turn off text customisation
• Ad group-level location targeting
• Brand controls to include or exclude specific brands
• Enhanced reporting, including which headlines drove clicks
• Asset-level KPIs such as spend and conversions

That level of insight makes it easier to optimise—and builds more trust in the automation.

Not a PPC Expert? Start With the Basics

If you’re still getting to grips with PPC, adding AI to the mix might feel overwhelming.

Before you switch on AI Max, make sure your fundamentals are solid. We’ve put together a simple guide to help: How to Optimise Your PPC Campaign in 4 Easy Steps

Why We Should Approach AI Max with Caution

I’m all for evolving alongside how people search—but we shouldn’t treat AI Max as a “set it and forget it” tool.

Here are three key steps to take before enabling it:

1. Research

Now that Google gives us more control, we should use it wisely. That starts with thorough negative keyword research. Build a strong list of irrelevant or misleading search terms that could waste your budget—especially where similar intent could bring in the wrong kind of traffic.

2. Planning

Not every business will benefit equally from AI Max. For example, highly regulated lead generation businesses may struggle with keywordless targeting and dynamic ad copy, where compliance is critical.

On the flip side, e-commerce brands could gain significantly by tapping into broader search behaviours that they might otherwise miss.

3. Experimentation

We shouldn’t look to blindly apply AI Max to our core campaigns. Instead, run a Google Ads Experiment. Test performance in a controlled environment and measure the results—only roll it out more widely if it delivers meaningful uplift.

Final Thoughts: Evolution, Not Replacement

AI Max will roll out in open beta later this month, and while it’s a big shift, it’s not an enforced one.

That in itself is encouraging. It shows Google still values marketer input, rather than handing everything over to the algorithm.

We’re excited to test this feature with selected clients. With the right controls in place, it could help us reach audiences we’ve missed before, without sacrificing performance or transparency.

According to Brian Burdick, Senior Director of Product Management at Google Ads, advertisers trialling AI Max have reported up to a 14% increase in conversions, while those optimising exact and phrase match type keyword strategies have seen up to a 27% uplift, as shared in Google’s Ad Commerce blog: Introducing AI Max for Search campaigns.

The potential is there. The question is: Will you be ready to harness it?

Are you interested in exploring AI Max for Search in your campaigns? Talk to us and let’s discuss how it could fit your PPC strategy.