DSA to AI Max Migration Guide: The 2027 Google Ads Update

The era of Dynamic Search Ads (DSA) in Google Ads is coming to an end. Google is preparing to move existing DSA setups automatically into AI Max-powered standard Search ad groups from February 2027.

This isn't just a feature being renamed. Google is combining website content-based dynamic ad targeting with more extensive AI-powered matching and ad customisation tools.

AI Max is no longer in beta. Made generally available in April 2026, it began being applied automatically in September 2026 to eligible Search campaigns using campaign-level broad match or automatically created assets.

The next big step is the migration of DSA campaigns.

So what exactly is AI Max? How is it different from Dynamic Search Ads? How will your campaigns be affected in February 2027?

In this guide we cover how Google Ads AI Max works, the migration timeline, the control tools available and the steps you can follow to move from DSA to AI Max.

What is Google Ads AI Max and how does it work?

AI Max for Search Campaigns is a bundle of settings that brings together AI-powered targeting and ad customisation features in Google Ads Search campaigns.

Unlike Performance Max, AI Max isn't a separate campaign type. It's switched on inside an existing Search campaign.

Google's aim is to help advertisers reach potential customers not only through the keywords they define but also through more advanced systems that assess users' search intent and website content.

As long, complex and conversational searches become more common, traditional keyword targeting can struggle to keep up.

AI Max aims to create new matching opportunities for these searches using the keywords, ad copy, landing pages and other signals the advertiser provides.

AI Max's three core features

AI Max is made up of three main components.

1. Search Term Matching

Search term matching lets the campaign reach relevant new queries without being limited to existing keywords.

Google combines technologies that draw on broad match, ad assets and landing pages to do this.

For example, a campaign using only exact or phrase match keywords can, with AI Max, also show ads on other queries that aren't on its list but are judged relevant.

This feature is on by default when AI Max is enabled, but it can be switched off at ad group level.

2. Text Customization

Text customization is the new name for the feature previously known as Automatically Created Assets (ACA).

Google can generate headlines and descriptions from your existing ad copy, landing pages, domain and other ad assets.

These can be used alongside the assets the advertiser has written.

The aim is to make the ad message better suited to the user's search intent.

But it's important to check the accuracy of auto-generated text. AI-generated assets should be reviewed regularly, especially in ads that mention prices, discounts, product features or legal wording.

3. Final URL Expansion

Final URL expansion lets Google send the ad to another page on the same domain instead of the landing page you set, when it judges that page a better fit for the user's search.

For example, an ad targeting a general category page could send a more specific product search to the relevant product page.

But this feature also carries some risks.

Sending traffic to pages that don't fit the campaign's conditions, or a mismatch between the ad message and the landing page, can cause problems.

That's why URL inclusion and exclusion controls matter.

Final URL expansion requires text customization to be on. If text customization is switched off, final URL expansion is disabled too.

Also, when final URL expansion is used and Google picks a more suitable page, pinned responsive search ad (RSA) assets aren't always kept.

What are the differences between DSA and AI Max?

Dynamic Search Ads and AI Max share the same goal: helping advertisers reach search opportunities beyond their existing keywords.

But the methods they use and the controls they offer are different.

DSA relies mainly on website content to identify relevant search queries and landing pages.

AI Max combines this approach with a broader set of signals and the existing Search campaign structure.

So it isn't accurate to see AI Max as simply DSA's new name.

AI Max is a system that extends the targeting and ad customisation capacity of traditional Search campaigns.

Performance Max remains a separate campaign type that can run across different Google ad channels.

Google Ads DSA to AI Max migration timeline (2026-2027)

Google is running a phased migration plan to roll out AI Max, starting in 2025 and running into 2027.

According to Google's official developer announcement, the automatic migrations that began in September 2026 were designed to keep existing campaign settings as far as possible.

But not all campaigns were migrated with the same AI Max settings.

Which settings were switched on in campaigns migrated in September 2026?

Google applied different configurations depending on the legacy feature being used.

So AI Max being on in your account doesn't mean every AI Max component is active.

It's worth checking which features are enabled, especially in campaigns migrated automatically in September.

What will happen to DSA campaigns in February 2027?

According to Google's developer announcement of 12 August 2026, remaining eligible DSA campaigns will be converted automatically into AI Max-powered standard Search ad groups between 1 and 28 February 2027.

During the migration, existing dynamic ad groups will be moved into standard ad groups, with the aim of keeping the relevant settings and historical data.

Google's announced DSA migration configuration plans to switch on all three core AI Max features:

• Search term matching

• Text customization

• Final URL expansion

Existing URL controls are also intended to be kept.

But the automatic migration isn't guaranteed to maintain campaigns' previous performance exactly.

Automatic text generation and URL expansion settings in particular should be checked after the migration.

How to move from DSA to AI Max: a step-by-step guide

Rather than waiting for the automatic migration in February 2027, reviewing your campaigns in advance can help you prepare for the new structure in a more controlled way.

But not every advertiser needs to rebuild their DSA campaigns from scratch. Google offers migration tools designed to carry over existing settings and data for eligible accounts.

1. List your current DSA campaigns

First, identify the campaigns and dynamic ad groups in your account that use DSA.

Look for answers to these questions:

• Which DSA campaigns bring in conversions regularly?

• Which ad groups are generating high costs?

• Which dynamic targets perform better?

• Which landing pages receive traffic?

This review helps you understand which structures to keep and which to rework.

2. Record pre-migration performance

Review the last 30-90 days of performance for your DSA campaigns.

In particular, record these metrics:

• Ad spend

• Number of conversions

• Cost per conversion (CPA)

• Conversion value and ROAS

• Search terms

• Landing page performance

This data gives you a reference for assessing changes after the migration.

But remember that seasonal demand and budget changes can also affect results.

3. Analyse DSA search terms

Review your DSA campaigns' search terms reports.

Identify the queries that convert regularly and matter to your business.

You can consider using some of these queries as keywords in your standard Search campaigns.

But you don't need to turn every DSA query into a keyword.

The purpose of AI Max is to explore new search opportunities alongside your existing keywords.

So you can build a structure that keeps your most valuable queries under control while letting AI Max explore other relevant searches.

4. Check the DSA migration tool in Google Ads

Google offers migration tools for DSA users that make it easier to move existing campaign settings and data into standard ad groups.

In eligible campaigns, there may be an option to upgrade to AI Max under the DSA settings in the Google Ads interface.

If you see this option in your account, consider migrating the existing structure before creating a new campaign.

Before migrating, review which ad groups and settings will be carried over.

5. Check your AI Max settings

Once AI Max is enabled, you can manage its settings at campaign level.

The general setup path is:

1. Open Campaigns in your Google Ads account.

2. Select the Search campaign you want to edit.

3. Go to Settings.

4. Open the AI Max option.

5. Enable AI Max.

6. Review the search term matching, text customization and final URL expansion options.

7. Choose the right settings and save your changes.

Some automation features may switch on by default when AI Max is enabled.

So it's important to check the status of each feature before saving the campaign.

6. Set URL, brand and ad copy limits

One of the most important things to check when moving to AI Max is which pages and ad messages the automated system can use.

In particular, consider these settings:

URL exclusions: use them to stop pages such as careers, return policies or pages unrelated to the campaign from being chosen as landing pages.

URL inclusions: use them to define more precisely which landing pages specific ad groups can draw on.

Brand settings: use brand inclusion and exclusion options to set targeting limits for searches related to specific brands.

Text guidelines: set word and phrase restrictions for AI-generated ad messages.

These limits need careful setup especially in sectors that require legal disclaimers, in discount campaigns and in sensitive product categories.

7. Monitor performance for long enough

Don't make firm decisions based on the first few days of performance after moving to AI Max.

Automated bidding and the new targeting behaviour may need time to adjust, depending on the campaign's conversion volume and history.

During this period, watch daily fluctuations but don't react instantly to every change.

If you can, use Google Ads experiments to assess AI Max's impact in a more controlled way.

8. Retire old DSA structures carefully

If you're testing by creating a new AI Max campaign and keeping the old DSA campaign separate, consider the risk of the two campaigns competing for the same searches and splitting the budget.

Once AI Max performance is stable enough, you can consider pausing the old DSA campaign.

But if you're using Google's migration tool, which converts the existing DSA campaign in place, you may not need to pause the old campaign separately.

So act according to the migration method you use.

Which settings help you keep control in AI Max?

AI Max offers more automation, but that doesn't mean advertisers lose all control.

Google provides several tools in the new structure for steering targeting and ad messages.

Search terms report and negative keywords

AI Max can show ads on queries that aren't in your keyword list.

So it's important to review the search terms report regularly.

You can identify irrelevant or low-quality queries and add suitable negative keywords.

But remember that negative keywords follow normal matching rules.

These controls aren't an intent filter that fully restricts AI-powered matching.

Brand inclusion and exclusion settings

AI Max gives advertisers extra control over brand-related searches.

With brand inclusion and exclusion settings, you can bring queries related to specific brands into targeting or leave them out.

These settings can matter especially for advertisers who want to assess new customer acquisition separately from existing brand demand.

But brand settings alone don't guarantee new customer acquisition.

URL inclusion and exclusion

When final URL expansion is on, Google can use different pages on your website as landing pages.

So it can be helpful to exclude pages that don't fit your conversion goal.

For example:

• Careers pages

• Returns and delivery policies

• Contact or support pages

• Expired campaign pages

• Out-of-stock product pages

URL inclusion can also help when you want specific pages to be used as dynamic landing pages.

But remember that when URL inclusion and final URL expansion are both on, Google may use other relevant pages too.

If you want to stay limited to the pages you've specified, configure final URL expansion accordingly.

Text Guidelines

Google offers text guidelines to help keep AI-generated ad assets in line with your brand voice and rules.

In supported setups, you can define 25 term exclusions and 40 message restrictions per campaign.

This can be particularly useful in sectors where certain words must not be used.

But text guidelines don't guarantee that every auto-generated ad will be error-free or compliant with regulations.

So check asset reports regularly.

Matching control at ad group level

AI Max's search term matching is turned on at campaign level but can be switched off at ad group level.

That lets you allow broader matching in some ad groups while using a more limited structure in groups focused on sensitive or high-value queries.

Priority of exact match keywords

Your existing keywords don't lose their importance entirely when you use AI Max.

Under Google's keyword prioritisation rules, eligible exact match keywords identical to the user's query can take priority.

So you can keep managing queries that matter to your business and convert regularly with suitable keyword structures.

But auction eligibility and final ad serving still depend on Ad Rank, eligibility and other system conditions.

Does AI Max improve ad performance?

Google's own data and independent analyses report different results on AI Max's effect on ad performance.

When it first introduced AI Max, Google said advertisers saw on average 14% more conversions or conversion value at a similar CPA or ROAS.

In an update published in April 2026, Google reported that using all three core AI Max features together delivered on average 7% more conversions or conversion value than search term matching alone.

But these two figures are based on different comparisons and shouldn't be used interchangeably.

And the results Google has published don't mean every advertiser will see the same performance.

What do independent analyses show?

An analysis by Smarter Ecommerce of more than 250 campaigns, reported by Search Engine Land in March 2026, found different results.

It reported a median revenue increase of around 13% and a median CPA increase of around 16%.

ROAS changes across the groups studied ranged from roughly -35% to +42%.

One important detail here: -35% ROAS was the lower end of the reported range, not the average result across all campaigns.

These findings suggest that AI Max can create growth opportunities in some campaigns while causing efficiency losses in others.

But observational analyses like this don't prove that all the differences come directly from AI Max.

So the soundest approach is to test Google's general performance claims in a controlled way in your own account.

How AI Max relates to ads in AI Mode and AI Overviews

One reason AI Max is gaining importance is the development of Google's AI-powered search experiences.

Features such as AI Overviews and AI Mode let users search with longer, more complex questions.

Google uses different matching and campaign technologies to show ads in these experiences.

Because AI Max can assess search intent beyond existing keywords, it can help you reach these kinds of queries.

But switching on AI Max doesn't mean your ads will definitely appear in AI Mode or AI Overviews.

Ad serving depends on query eligibility, Ad Rank, targeting conditions and Google's ad inventory on those surfaces.

Ad eligibility on these surfaces can also change over time. So it isn't accurate to judge your reach in AI-powered search solely by whether AI Max is enabled.

AI Max's real advantage is offering a broader matching approach for reaching new search intent while keeping the standard Search campaign structure.

Common mistakes when moving from DSA to AI Max

Simply switching on the new feature isn't enough during the migration.

Watch out in particular for the following mistakes.

Turning on every automation feature without checking it

When AI Max is enabled, settings such as text customization and final URL expansion may switch on by default.

So launching a new campaign without checking which features it runs with can lead to unexpected ad messages or landing pages.

Not recording current DSA performance

If you don't record performance before the migration, it becomes harder to assess the new system's impact.

It's especially important to compare conversions, CPA, ROAS and search term results over comparable periods.

Ignoring URL exclusion settings

Final URL expansion can send traffic to pages unrelated to your campaign goal.

So set up URL controls that fit your site structure.

Not updating your negative keyword list

Because AI Max can match a wider range of queries, review search terms regularly.

Keep track of the cost of irrelevant queries and low-quality traffic in particular.

Migrating during a busy campaign period

Periods like Black Friday and New Year aren't always suitable for testing new targeting structures.

Unless there's a technical reason that forces it, it can help to schedule major changes for a calmer period. We've gathered what to check in your account before Black Friday in our ad account checklist.

For advertisers preparing for the February 2027 migration, January can be a good time to review existing DSA setups and build a test plan. In the same month, Search campaigns using Display Expansion will also move to the new budget system; see our channel prioritization guide for details.

Frequently asked questions

When will Google Ads DSA campaigns end?

Under Google's current timeline, the automatic migration of remaining eligible DSA campaigns will take place between 1 and 28 February 2027.

What will DSA campaigns become in February 2027?

According to Google's official developer announcement, existing DSA setups will be converted into standard Search ad groups with AI Max enabled. The aim is to keep existing settings and historical data.

Is AI Max a separate Google Ads campaign type?

No. AI Max is a bundle of AI-powered matching and ad customisation features that can be enabled in existing Search campaigns.

Is using AI Max mandatory?

Using AI Max isn't mandatory in every Search campaign. But under Google's migration plan, DSA and certain legacy campaign settings are being moved to the AI Max structure.

Will my keywords stop working if I turn on AI Max?

No. Existing keywords continue to be used. AI Max uses additional signals on top of them to reach relevant new search queries.

Can I see the ad copy AI Max generates automatically?

Yes. You can review auto-generated assets through Google Ads asset reports and text customization previews. In supported accounts, sample headlines and descriptions can also be viewed before going live.

Can I turn off final URL expansion in AI Max?

Yes. Final URL expansion can be switched off at campaign level. There are also controls such as URL inclusion and exclusion.

Can AI Max be used with manual bidding strategies?

Google recommends conversion-focused Smart Bidding strategies for AI Max's matching and ad customisation features to work effectively. So check eligibility with manual bidding strategies against the current feature and bidding conditions in your account.

Does AI Max guarantee performance?

No. Google reports some average performance improvements, but results can vary with campaign structure, conversion volume, bidding strategy and data quality.

Conclusion: don't wait until February 2027 to move from DSA to AI Max

Google Ads' move from DSA to AI Max shows how much more important automation is becoming in Search advertising.

The new structure offers new opportunities to reach queries beyond existing keywords and to tailor ad messages to user intent.

But more automation doesn't mean less need for control.

Reviewing search terms, setting URL limits, checking brand settings and assessing auto-generated ad assets remain just as important in the new system.

Rather than waiting for the automatic migration planned for February 2027, it may be wiser to analyse your DSA campaigns now, review the migration tools and test AI Max in suitable campaigns in a controlled way.

What matters isn't just switching on AI Max but managing its new automation features in line with your business goals.

Sources

1. Google: We're Upgrading Dynamic Search Ads to AI Max (15 April 2026, updated 11 June)

2. Google Ads Developer Blog: Migrate Campaign-level Broad Match and Automatically Created Assets to AI Max (12 August 2026)

3. Google Ads Help: How AI Max for Search Campaigns Works

4. Google Ads Help: Set Up AI Max for Search Campaigns

5. Google Ads Help: About Text Customization in Search Campaigns

6. Google Ads Help: About Final URL Expansion in Search

7. Google Ads Help: About Reporting in AI Max for Search Campaigns

8. Search Engine Land: AI Max Increases Revenue 13% but Drives Higher CPA: Study (5 March 2026)

9. Google Ads Help: About Dynamic Search Ads