{"id":12250,"date":"2026-03-23T15:25:30","date_gmt":"2026-03-23T15:25:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/?p=12250"},"modified":"2026-03-23T15:49:45","modified_gmt":"2026-03-23T15:49:45","slug":"the-ultimate-guide-to-ai-max-for-google-search","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ads\/the-ultimate-guide-to-ai-max-for-google-search\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ultimate Guide to AI Max for Google Search"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\"><em>Article updated 2026-03-23, 4:21 p.m<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-verse\" style=\"font-size:18px\"><strong>AI Max for Google Search<\/strong> marks a fundamental shift away from strict keyword syntax and toward pure intent matching, bringing <strong>Performance Max capabilities<\/strong> directly into classic Search campaigns. <br><br>With Google confirming that AI Max will <strong>eventually replace<\/strong> Dynamic Search Ads (<strong>DSA<\/strong>), now is the time to start transitioning on your own terms. Instead of falling prey to FOMO, take a pragmatic approach by carefully testing AI Max within your existing Search campaigns under strict parameters. <\/pre>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\"><p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<\/div><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ads\/the-ultimate-guide-to-ai-max-for-google-search\/#1-year-later-how-has-ai-max-impacted-google-search\" >1 year later: How has AI Max impacted Google Search?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ads\/the-ultimate-guide-to-ai-max-for-google-search\/#table-of-contents\" >Table of contents:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ads\/the-ultimate-guide-to-ai-max-for-google-search\/#what-are-the-core-features-of-ai-max\" >What are the core features of AI Max?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ads\/the-ultimate-guide-to-ai-max-for-google-search\/#how-does-ai-max-interact-with-other-campaign-types\" >How does AI Max interact with other campaign types?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ads\/the-ultimate-guide-to-ai-max-for-google-search\/#will-ai-max-for-google-search-replace-dsa\" >Will AI Max for Google Search replace DSA?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ads\/the-ultimate-guide-to-ai-max-for-google-search\/#how-does-ai-max-handle-match-types-and-sources\" >How does AI Max handle Match Types and Sources?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ads\/the-ultimate-guide-to-ai-max-for-google-search\/#ai-max-performance-claims-vs-reality\" >AI Max performance claims vs. reality<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ads\/the-ultimate-guide-to-ai-max-for-google-search\/#ai-max-for-google-search-a-reality-check\" >AI Max for Google Search: a reality check<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ads\/the-ultimate-guide-to-ai-max-for-google-search\/#the-four-biggest-ai-max-pitfalls\" >The four biggest AI Max pitfalls<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ads\/the-ultimate-guide-to-ai-max-for-google-search\/#whats-next-for-ai-max-for-google-search\" >What&#8217;s next for AI Max for Google Search?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ads\/the-ultimate-guide-to-ai-max-for-google-search\/#conclusion-what-to-make-of-ai-max\" >Conclusion: What to make of AI Max?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ads\/the-ultimate-guide-to-ai-max-for-google-search\/#get-the-pdf\" >Get the PDF!<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-year-later-how-has-ai-max-impacted-google-search\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1-year-later-how-has-ai-max-impacted-google-search\"><\/span>1 year later: How has AI Max impacted Google Search?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>On May 23, 2024<\/strong>, Google\u2019s VP of Product Management for Search Ads, Jason Fried, wrote a telling email to another exec. He said: \u201c<em>SearchMax or Pmax for search, I think it doesn\u2019t matter too much.\u201d<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He was discussing an experimental new technology we now know as AI Max for Google Search.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This technology marks the <strong>biggest announcement for Google Search campaigns<\/strong> since broad match keywords. It completely reimagines how Google integrates AI into their products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"cta-row-box-bluesolid\" style=\"padding: 30px 30px 36px 30px;\">\n<h3 class=\"cta-row-title\" style=\"margin-bottom: 10px;\">TL;DR:<\/h3>\n<p style=\"color: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 30px;\">Short on time? <b>Grab the PDF<\/b> with the key data and takeaways.<\/p>\n<a class=\"btn btn-gold-cta\" href=\"#get-the-pdf\" rel=\"noopener\">Download the PDF <i class=\"fa fa-angle-down\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Previously, Google focused on forcing existing campaign types <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ads\/state-of-performance-max-campaigns-2025\/\" type=\"post\" id=\"11195\">into the Performance Max Black Box<\/a><\/strong>. That aggressive strategy included <strong>Smart Shopping<\/strong>, <strong>Local<\/strong>, <strong>Display<\/strong>, and <strong>Dynamic Search campaigns.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, <strong>advertisers pushed back hard.<\/strong> So, Google flipped the script for keyword-based Search campaigns. Instead of bringing Search to PMax, why not <strong>bring PMax to Search?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-that-s-exactly-how-they-introduced-three-core-ai-features-to-classic-search\">That\u2019s exactly how they introduced three core AI features to classic Search. <\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>These include Search <strong>Term Matching<\/strong>, <strong>Text Customization<\/strong>, and <strong>Final URL Expansion<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>AI Max for Google Search represents a fundamental shift in Search advertising. It moves the industry away from keyword syntax and closer to pure intent matching. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>However: <\/strong>Official documentation defines the features, but it absolutely doesn\u2019t explain how they behave in a mature, complex account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-table-of-contents\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"table-of-contents\"><\/span>Table of contents:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"#what-are-the-core-features-of-ai-max\">What are the core features of AI Max?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#how-does-ai-max-interact-with-other-campaign-types\">How does AI Max interact with other campaign types?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#will-ai-max-for-google-search-replace-dsa\">Will AI Max replace Dynamic Search Ads?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#how-does-ai-max-handle-match-types-and-sources\">How does AI Max handle Match Types and Sources?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#ai-max-performance-claims-vs-reality\">AI Max performance claims vs. reality<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#ai-max-for-google-search-a-reality-check\">AI Max for Google Search: A reality check<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#the-four-biggest-ai-max-pitfalls\">The four biggest AI Max pitfalls<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#whats-next-for-ai-max-for-google-search\">What&#8217;s next for AI Max?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#conclusion-what-to-make-of-ai-max\">Conclusion: What to make of AI Max?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#get-the-pdf\">Get the PDF!<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-are-the-core-features-of-ai-max\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what-are-the-core-features-of-ai-max\"><\/span>What are the core features of AI Max?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>\u201cIs AI Max just a repackaging of existing features?\u201d<\/em><\/strong> Google Ads\u2019 Product Liaison, <strong>Ginny Marvin<\/strong>, tackles this <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ads\/the-end-of-keywords-ginny-marvin-on-the-shift-to-ai-max-for-search\/\" type=\"post\" id=\"12058\">frequently-asked question in a recent article.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Her core answer is <strong><em>\u201cYes and\u2026\u201d. <\/em><\/strong>This is a tactful way of admitting a <strong>high degree of overlap<\/strong> between AI Max for Google Search and pre-existing features. But it also hints at a much bigger story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many advertisers feel they don\u2019t need AI Max. They already use comparable legacy features like Broad Match and Dynamic Search Ads. Google\u2019s case is that AI Max presents improved versions of those same features, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s an overview to help understand why \u201cYes and\u2026\u201d is actually a pretty fair answer:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1568\" height=\"906\" src=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/FINAL_smec_AI-max_features-list.png\" alt=\"AI Max for Google Search features\" class=\"wp-image-12362\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/FINAL_smec_AI-max_features-list.png 1568w, https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/FINAL_smec_AI-max_features-list-300x173.png 300w, https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/FINAL_smec_AI-max_features-list-1024x592.png 1024w, https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/FINAL_smec_AI-max_features-list-1536x888.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1568px) 100vw, 1568px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>AI Max inherits features from several existing Google products, and adds some exclusive features of its own.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>While <strong>Broad Match and DSA-like technologies<\/strong> are foundational to AI Max, the system is much more than the sum of those two parts. And yet the critical question remains. How does AI Max behave when similar ad products are already in the mix?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-does-ai-max-interact-with-other-campaign-types\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how-does-ai-max-interact-with-other-campaign-types\"><\/span>How does AI Max interact with other campaign types?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Google lays out a compelling array of features. Fortunately, AI Max for Google Search already provides a satisfying degree of <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ads\/ai-max-for-search-googles-new-campaign-setting\/\" type=\"post\" id=\"11535\">reporting and control features<\/a><\/strong>. We certainly <strong>couldn&#8217;t say that about early PMax<\/strong> and <strong>Demand Gen<\/strong> rollouts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Still, AI Max does not step into a vacuum. It clearly <strong>possesses additive features <\/strong>beyond DSA and PMax. However, this doesn\u2019t change the fact that notable overlap exists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Google claims there\u2019s a strong case for advertisers who currently avoid other automation features. Ok, we believe that. <strong>But what about everyone else?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1568\" height=\"906\" src=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/smec_AI-max_campaign-type-usage-overlap.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12314\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/smec_AI-max_campaign-type-usage-overlap.png 1568w, https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/smec_AI-max_campaign-type-usage-overlap-300x173.png 300w, https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/smec_AI-max_campaign-type-usage-overlap-1024x592.png 1024w, https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/smec_AI-max_campaign-type-usage-overlap-1536x888.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1568px) 100vw, 1568px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Nearly 50% of advertisers using AI Max are also using DSA and PMax, which presents a certain amount of feature redundancy.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s be real: The irony is thick here. The advertisers most likely to adopt this new automation suite are exactly the ones <strong>already using the old tools!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We looked at a sample of ecommerce advertisers using AI Max for Google Search. <strong>We found that <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>1 in 6 <\/strong>use AI Max + DSA. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>1 in 4 use AI Max + PMax. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>And half of them <\/strong>use all three technologies at the exact same time! <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Moreover, AI Max is most popular in accounts <strong>already heavily using Broad Match<\/strong>. Ironically, Google cautions these exact advertisers will see lower uplift.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"h-equivalent-technologies-do-the-same-work-as-ai-max-for-google-search\">Equivalent technologies do the same work as AI Max for Google Search. For example, imagine a search term <strong>not covered by<\/strong> any exact keywords. DSA might match it today. PMax might grab it tomorrow. AI Max might win it the day after. There are simply <strong>too many paths<\/strong> leading to the exact same place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-implications-here-are-severe\">The implications here are severe: <\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Poor account hygiene <\/strong>drastically complicates reporting. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Needlessly splitting conversion data<\/strong> actively harms Smart Bidding. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Opaque ad rank wars <\/strong>break out between campaigns. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Google assures us this will not result in self-competition. But frankly, <strong>we\u2019d rather not take that chance!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Google\u2019s official stance is simple. Advertisers should worry less about tool overlap and more about clear business objectives. They claim PMax and AI Max for Google Search are <strong>perfectly complementary. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Advertisers supposedly shouldn&#8217;t think twice about running them in parallel. They designed these two systems to reach parity. Ad rank solves the priority issue. All else equal, the best ad wins<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-stretch is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<pre class=\"wp-block-verse\"><em><em>\u201cAI Max uses the <\/em><\/em>same technology as Performance Max for Google Search.<em><em>\u201d<\/em><\/em><\/pre>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-rounded\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"901\" src=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GinnyMarvin-headshot-3826261798.jpg\" alt=\"Ginny Marvin Portrait\" class=\"wp-image-12088\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.9989293965177213;object-fit:cover;width:175px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GinnyMarvin-headshot-3826261798.jpg 900w, https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GinnyMarvin-headshot-3826261798-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GinnyMarvin-headshot-3826261798-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\" style=\"font-size:14px\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/ginnymarvin\/\">Ginny Marvin<\/a><\/strong><br><em>Product Ads Liaison<\/em>, Google<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s read between the lines. Large pieces of the core technology<strong> are identical<\/strong>. It\u2019s truly anyone\u2019s guess which campaign will produce that winning ad. However, <strong>we can clarify these murky waters a bit.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-will-ai-max-for-google-search-replace-dsa\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"will-ai-max-for-google-search-replace-dsa\"><\/span>Will AI Max for Google Search replace DSA?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The industry long suspected it, and now Google confirms it: <strong>they will deprecate DSA. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In my hour long conversation with her, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/Se-8zlI75hM\">Ginny Marvin broke the news:<\/a><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-stretch is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<pre class=\"wp-block-verse\"><em><em>\u201cOur long term goal is to move DSA into AI Max for Search campaigns, where we will aim to support the same use cases and have parity with PMax Search.\u201d<\/em><\/em><\/pre>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-rounded\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"901\" src=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GinnyMarvin-headshot-3826261798.jpg\" alt=\"Ginny Marvin Portrait\" class=\"wp-image-12088\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.9989293965177213;object-fit:cover;width:175px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GinnyMarvin-headshot-3826261798.jpg 900w, https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GinnyMarvin-headshot-3826261798-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GinnyMarvin-headshot-3826261798-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\" style=\"font-size:14px\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/ginnymarvin\/\">Ginny Marvin<\/a><\/strong><br><em>Product Ads Liaison<\/em>, Google<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>This remains an informal announcement<strong> without a firm timeline. <\/strong>However, previous deprecations usually take <strong>about one year <\/strong>from the sunset start date. Regardless, this puts a clear strategic priority on <strong>experimenting with AI Max<\/strong> for Google Search today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Remember, <\/strong>Google offered a <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/google-ads\/answer\/15637732?hl=en\">voluntary migration for DSA to PMax<\/a> <\/strong>since 2023. In our assessment, though, a different path makes more sense: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You should focus on <strong>activating keywordless<\/strong> AI Max features in your Search campaigns. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Simultaneously, <strong>start winding down<\/strong> your DSA ad groups. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Do not<\/strong> blindly switch them over to PMax. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The technologies will overlap regardless. To keep things clean, focus on <strong>modernizing your existing Search campaigns<\/strong>. That\u2019s where you retain clearer budgeting, measurement, and control. <strong>Control is king!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"lyte-wrapper\" style=\"width:853px;max-width:100%;margin:5px;\"><div class=\"lyMe hidef\" id=\"WYL_Se-8zlI75hM\"><div id=\"lyte_Se-8zlI75hM\" data-src=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/plugins\/wp-youtube-lyte\/lyteCache.php?origThumbUrl=%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FSe-8zlI75hM%2Fmaxresdefault.jpg\" class=\"pL\"><div class=\"tC\"><div class=\"tT\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"play\"><\/div><div class=\"ctrl\"><div class=\"Lctrl\"><\/div><div class=\"Rctrl\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><noscript><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/Se-8zlI75hM\" rel=\"nofollow\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/plugins\/wp-youtube-lyte\/lyteCache.php?origThumbUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FSe-8zlI75hM%2F0.jpg\" alt=\"YouTube video thumbnail\" width=\"853\" height=\"460\" \/><br \/>Watch this video on YouTube<\/a><\/noscript><\/div><\/div><div class=\"lL\" style=\"max-width:100%;width:853px;margin:5px;\"><\/div><figcaption><em>In a conversation with smec, Ginny Marvin confirms that AI Max will replace DSA \u2013 eventually.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-does-ai-max-handle-match-types-and-sources\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how-does-ai-max-handle-match-types-and-sources\"><\/span>How does AI Max handle Match Types and Sources?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We mentioned that broad match acts as a central component of AI Max for Google Search. But just <strong>how central <\/strong>are we talking about?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Well, AI Max effectively <strong>&#8220;broadmatch-ifies&#8221; all your keywords<\/strong>. This is no secret. <a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/google-ads\/answer\/15910187?hl=en\">Google explicitly states<\/a> that <em>&#8220;search term matching expands on existing keywords with broad match and keywordless technology.&#8221; <\/em>The goal is to <strong>find more relevant queries.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can <strong>report this directly<\/strong> in your own account. Just look at the intersection of keyword match types and search term match types. We analyzed a sample of one million AI Max impressions and found some striking data:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1568\" height=\"906\" src=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/smec_AI-max_keyword-match-types-overview.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12315\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/smec_AI-max_keyword-match-types-overview.png 1568w, https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/smec_AI-max_keyword-match-types-overview-300x173.png 300w, https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/smec_AI-max_keyword-match-types-overview-1024x592.png 1024w, https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/smec_AI-max_keyword-match-types-overview-1536x888.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1568px) 100vw, 1568px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>One of AI Max\u2019s core functions is to offer broad match expansion on narrower keyword match types, especially Exact Match.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>We observed a clean 80\/20 split.<\/strong> AI Max heavily expands on exact match and phrase match keywords. Naturally, you won\u2019t see it expanding broad match, <strong>because it\u2019s already broad<\/strong>. However, this split can vary wildly based on your specific account configuration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-if-you-hate-this-behavior-hold-your-horses\">If you hate this behavior, <strong>hold your horses. <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Keyword priority still works the same as always. <\/strong>Google will still respect your exact match keyword when the query is identical. Furthermore, <strong>you can opt out <\/strong>of search term matching at the ad group level. In large accounts, you can <strong>execute this at scale <a href=\"https:\/\/ads.google.cn\/intl\/en_sg\/home\/tools\/ads-editor\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">via Ads Editor<\/a><\/strong>. If you despise this feature entirely, just <strong>turn it off at the campaign level<\/strong>. You can strictly use the DSA-like features instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can also check the performance split of <strong>broad match versus keywordless expansion<\/strong>. Just use the <strong>\u201cmatch source\u201d<\/strong> <strong>reporting column<\/strong>. In a bulk study of AI Max campaigns, we found both arms actively working. They often share a <strong>roughly 50\/50 contribution<\/strong> to the campaign. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Long story short: <\/strong>AI Max for Google Search is not \u201cjust\u201d broad match. Keywordless matching acts as a massive contributor too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-ai-max-performance-claims-vs-reality\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"ai-max-performance-claims-vs-reality\"><\/span>AI Max performance claims vs. reality<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Google\u2019s key message is straightforward. AI Max should serve as an <strong>expansion layer<\/strong>. It aims to <strong>cover as many relevant queries<\/strong> as possible on top of your existing keyword set. Combine this query expansion with Smart Bidding and enough budget, and it <strong>should find incremental sales.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Indeed, Google stakes clear performance claims for AI Max for Google Search. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.google\/products\/ads-commerce\/google-ai-max-for-search-campaigns\/\">They state: <\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cAdvertisers that activate AI Max in Search campaigns will typically see 14% more conversions or conversion value at a similar CPA\/ROAS. For campaigns that are still mostly using exact and phrase keywords, the typical uplift is even higher at 27%.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>This represents the standard format for Google\u2019s AI adoption stats. They promise impressive conversion uplift at a similar efficiency. However, we see <strong>immense value in close-reading<\/strong> this stat for a moment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-let-s-think-it-through\">Let&#8217;s think it through:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>First, Google quotes the 14% figure for both conversions and conversion value. <\/strong>They group their two major Smart Bidding strategies together here. However, remember how drastically different these strategies operate in practice. <strong>It\u2019s highly suspicious<\/strong> to claim AI Max\u2019s uplift remains exactly the same for both. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, <a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/google-ads\/answer\/10195720#:~:text=advertisers%20that%20change%20their%20phrase%20keywords%20to%20broad%20match%20can%20see%20~25%25%20more%20conversions%20(in%20Target%20CPA%20campaigns)%20and%20~12%25%20more%20conversion%20value%20(in%20Target%20ROAS%20campaigns)\">look at Broad Match stats<\/a>. Google quotes a whopping +25% in conversions, but <strong>only +12% in conversion value<\/strong>. The implication is glaring. Broad match typically catches more volume, but less valuable conversions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-is-ai-max-for-google-search-truly-different\">Is AI Max for Google Search truly different? <\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Or did Google merely <strong>make the marketing message more digestible?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Second, Google claims this uplift occurs at a \u201csimilar\u201d CPA or ROAS.<\/strong> This is standard fluff for Google case studies. For advertisers still heavily relying on exact and phrase keywords, <strong>we find it slightly credible. <\/strong>Smart Bidding and Broad Match form a formidable pair. DSA also earned its seat at the table. For AI laggards, a large, cost-efficient conversion opportunity <strong>absolutely exists.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, for the rest of us? It completely defies the <strong>law of diminishing returns.<\/strong> In an already well-optimized campaign, achieving +14% volume without a massive efficiency trade-off <strong>is a fantasy.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>And lastly (but importantly!), Google hides a crucial detail in a footnote. <\/strong>This highly touted statistic does not cover retail. As of now, Google offers no official statement on how AI Max works for ecommerce.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1836\" height=\"950\" src=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Screenshot-2026-03-03-at-12.47.36.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12277\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Screenshot-2026-03-03-at-12.47.36.png 1836w, https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Screenshot-2026-03-03-at-12.47.36-300x155.png 300w, https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Screenshot-2026-03-03-at-12.47.36-1024x530.png 1024w, https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Screenshot-2026-03-03-at-12.47.36-1536x795.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1836px) 100vw, 1836px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>AI Max\u2019s role in the Google Ads ecosystem is to expand on keyword campaigns with automated targeting and creatives, similar to PMax.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-ai-max-for-google-search-a-reality-check\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"ai-max-for-google-search-a-reality-check\"><\/span>AI Max for Google Search: a reality check<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Google refuses<\/strong> to provide the retail impact of AI Max for Google Search. So, we have no specific claim to compare against. However, <strong>we analyzed over 250 Search campaigns<\/strong> with AI Max activated. Here is what the actual data reveals:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1568\" height=\"906\" src=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/FINAL_smec_AI-max_uplift-and-efficiency-overview.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12378\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/FINAL_smec_AI-max_uplift-and-efficiency-overview.png 1568w, https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/FINAL_smec_AI-max_uplift-and-efficiency-overview-300x173.png 300w, https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/FINAL_smec_AI-max_uplift-and-efficiency-overview-1024x592.png 1024w, https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/FINAL_smec_AI-max_uplift-and-efficiency-overview-1536x888.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1568px) 100vw, 1568px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>While AI Max delivers additional conversions and revenue as promised, its ability to do so efficiently requires closer examination.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>AI Max generates a median uplift of 13% more conversion value. <\/strong>This simple calculation compares AI Max revenue against the remaining campaign revenue. It does not consider potential cannibalization across the account. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Google insists these conversions are strictly incremental. <strong>We strongly disagree<\/strong>. There\u2019s a massive risk that the algorithm merely &#8220;shuffles&#8221; conversions<strong> from other campaigns<\/strong>. Testing this at scale is incredibly complicated. Let\u2019s take the data for what it is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>So far, so good. <strong>A +13% conversion value<\/strong> sits remarkably close to Google\u2019s non-retail claim of 14%. <strong>But what about efficiency?<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>CPA and ROAS paint a significantly less-flattering picture.<\/strong> But I\u2019d ask you to hang on before drawing conclusions. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-let-s-start-with-cpa\">Let&#8217;s start with CPA:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Unsurprisingly, the data reveals a <strong>brutal trade-off.<\/strong> These incremental conversions <strong>cost a median 16% more<\/strong> than the business-as-usual campaign. That isn&#8217;t necessarily a bad thing! Every seasoned marketer understands diminishing returns. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When advertisers asked: \u201cWhy does the CPA\/ROAS for AI Max sometimes look different than my other match types?\u201d Ginny Marvin responded: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-stretch is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<pre class=\"wp-block-verse\"><em><em>\u201cThis often comes down to the cost of incrementality. AI Max delivers incremental volume, but capturing that next marginal conversion might cost more than your highly-curated baseline keywords.\u201d<\/em><\/em><\/pre>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-rounded\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"901\" src=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GinnyMarvin-headshot-3826261798.jpg\" alt=\"Ginny Marvin Portrait\" class=\"wp-image-12088\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.9989293965177213;object-fit:cover;width:175px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GinnyMarvin-headshot-3826261798.jpg 900w, https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GinnyMarvin-headshot-3826261798-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GinnyMarvin-headshot-3826261798-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\" style=\"font-size:14px\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/ginnymarvin\/\">Ginny Marvin<\/a><\/strong><br><em>Product Ads Liaison<\/em>, Google<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes! <strong>These are simply saturation curves.<\/strong> You can spot them across various Google tools. We just wish Google\u2019s primary sales claim had the courage to acknowledge this fact. There is absolutely <strong>nothing to be ashamed of<\/strong> here. <strong>This is exactly how performance marketing works in reality.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-regarding-roas-the-picture-gets-even-cloudier\">Regarding ROAS, the picture gets even cloudier:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Almost all evaluated AI Max campaigns optimize toward ROAS. <\/strong>Therefore, it\u2019s the fairest metric to measure against. At a glance, the median difference sits exactly at 0%. It performs <strong>neither higher nor lower<\/strong> than the campaign\u2019s baseline. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is exactly why we prefer discussing outcome distribution <strong>over monolithic metrics.<\/strong> The range here is <strong>terrifyingly broad<\/strong>. AI Max delivers <strong>anywhere from 42% above baseline to 35% below it<\/strong>. Unfortunately, this distribution is not a comforting bell curve. Instead, it\u2019s remarkably flat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1568\" height=\"906\" src=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/smec_AI-max_accuracy-to-roas-target.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12318\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/smec_AI-max_accuracy-to-roas-target.png 1568w, https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/smec_AI-max_accuracy-to-roas-target-300x173.png 300w, https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/smec_AI-max_accuracy-to-roas-target-1024x592.png 1024w, https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/smec_AI-max_accuracy-to-roas-target-1536x888.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1568px) 100vw, 1568px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>In other words, turning on AI Max for Google Search <strong>is basically a coin toss.<\/strong> It will either drag your performance up <strong>or aggressively pull it down.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>That said, we don\u2019t want to trigger unnecessary panic. <\/strong>Below the surface, these baseline campaigns are far from equal. Search campaigns remain the <strong>most varied of all <\/strong>Google campaign types. This should actually be heartening! <strong>There is ample room for experimentation. <\/strong>You absolutely can optimize and improve the performance of both AI Max and your broader Search campaigns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-four-biggest-ai-max-pitfalls\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"the-four-biggest-ai-max-pitfalls\"><\/span>The four biggest AI Max pitfalls<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Before wrapping up, let\u2019s discuss the most glaring problems with AI Max for Google Search. More importantly, <strong>let&#8217;s explore how to mitigate them. <\/strong>You need to steer the AI!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-6de67c27eea25c3b6f9f660d9f6f7335\" id=\"h-pitfall-1-broad-match-cannibalization\" style=\"color:#4d40d2\">Pitfall 1: Broad match cannibalization<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:25%\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-problem\">The Problem:<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<p>As mentioned, the broad match arm of AI Max <strong>should never expand<\/strong> on existing broad match keywords. They are already broad! However, we observe this exact error <strong>occurring in numerous accounts<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In one account, <strong>AI Max matched against Broad Match 49% of the time<\/strong>. In another, it hit <strong>63%<\/strong>. This is deeply concerning. It clearly suggests that AI Max cannibalizes existing keywords instead of finding new ones.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:25%\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-fix\">The Fix:<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<p><strong>The true root cause lies in legacy setups. <\/strong>Some advertisers still harbor Broad Match Modified keywords. While reported as Broad Match, they actually behave like Phrase Match. In these specific cases, AI Max expands on those matches rather than eating them alive.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-35e2e192f1da135fb5614637b7d127dd\" id=\"h-pitfall-2-competitor-matching\" style=\"color:#4d40d2\">Pitfall 2: Competitor matching<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:25%\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-problem-0\">The Problem:<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<p>Google designed AI Max to find untapped pockets of high-intent traffic. For many advertisers, competitor <strong>queries perfectly fit that description. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You might have dedicated competitor campaigns or mutually arranged truces. You might simply have brand safety concerns. There are <strong>countless reasons to avoid<\/strong> competitor brand terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In one client account, AI Max aggressively <strong>scaled into competitor traffic.<\/strong> It accounted for <strong>effectively 100%<\/strong> of the AI Max expansion. It completely hijacked a <strong>whopping 69% <\/strong>of total Search impressions!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:25%\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-fix-0\">The Fix:<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<p>Luckily, you can regain control here. Easily check which search terms and ad groups are responsible. Immediately add negative keywords. Alternatively, disable search term matching entirely for those ad groups. You can also utilize brand lists with strict inclusion or exclusion rules.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-87dfade587f8b7d5758be0d46c061f4e\" id=\"h-pitfall-3-bad-search-term-ad-combinations\" style=\"color:#4d40d2\">Pitfall 3: Bad search term + ad combinations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:25%\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-problem-1\">The Problem:<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<p>AI Max promises to find unmet demand using <strong>URL Expansion <\/strong>and <strong>Text Customization<\/strong>. It theoretically converts users with the perfect landing page and matching ad copy. However, it <strong>frequently misses the mark.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To solve this, Google provides a <strong>surprisingly rich reporting view.<\/strong> It unifies the search term, headline, and landing page. It includes the ad group and parent campaign alongside <strong>relevant performance metrics.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Here\u2019s the catch: <\/strong>These reports easily span hundreds of thousands of rows. In other words, the vast majority of this data is <strong>utterly irrelevant<\/strong>. It is heavy on data but incredibly light on actionable information. In one account, we filtered the data and still faced <strong>43,000 rows<\/strong> to audit!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:25%\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-fix-1\">The Fix:<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<p>To solve this, our team designed a free script. Our <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/en\/google-ads-scripts\/ai-max-triage-script\/?utm_source=ultimate-ai-max-guide&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=ai-max-triage-script&amp;utm_content=\">AI Max Triage script<\/a><\/strong> aggressively filters the data, trims outliers, and scores the winning combinations. Be aware, we designed this specifically for heavy enterprise accounts. For smaller accounts, the script might filter out too much data.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/en\/google-ads-scripts\/ai-max-triage-script\/?utm_source=ultimate-ai-max-guide&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=ai-max-triage-script&amp;utm_content=\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1220\" height=\"742\" src=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Screenshot-2026-03-03-at-13.19.42.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12282\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.6436848381080502;object-fit:cover;width:700px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Screenshot-2026-03-03-at-13.19.42.png 1220w, https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Screenshot-2026-03-03-at-13.19.42-300x182.png 300w, https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Screenshot-2026-03-03-at-13.19.42-1024x623.png 1024w, https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Screenshot-2026-03-03-at-13.19.42-495x300.png 495w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1220px) 100vw, 1220px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>smec&#8217;s free AI Max Triage script filters, scores, and sorts your most important AI Max ad + search term combinations from best to worst in one simple view.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-1fb33d4afa3d2745d3d4911ba195aa22\" id=\"h-pitfall-4-spn-scaling\" style=\"color:#4d40d2\">Pitfall 4: SPN scaling<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:25%\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-problem-2\">The Problem:<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<p>Typically, AI Max utilizes <strong>Google\u2019s Search Partner Network (SPN)<\/strong> at standard rates. You usually see about <strong>3% to 8% of impressions.<\/strong> That is, except for when it suddenly goes rogue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sometimes, AI Max <strong>scales massively into the SPN<\/strong> without warning. This is highly undesirable. Intent levels are substantially lower across most SPN inventory. In one campaign, <strong>half of their 500,000 monthly impressions<\/strong> flooded into Search Partners. This traffic yielded a <strong>pathetic 0.07% <\/strong>conversion rate. The standard Google Search network hit <strong>3.04%<\/strong> in comparison!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:25%\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-fix-2\">The Fix:<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<p>It took a quarter of a million SPN impressions to generate a single extra conversion. This isn&#8217;t typical, but it absolutely happens. You should ruthlessly audit your placements. In a case like this, we strongly recommend turning off SPN entirely.<br><br>If you are unsure how many bad placements AI Max is catching exactly, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/en\/google-ads-scripts\/placement-scanner\/\">smec&#8217;s free Google Ads Placement Scanner<\/a><\/strong> can help you with identifying the most toxic ones.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/en\/google-ads-scripts\/placement-scanner\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"808\" height=\"516\" src=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Screenshot-2026-03-03-at-13.28.25.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12283\" style=\"width:700px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Screenshot-2026-03-03-at-13.28.25.png 808w, https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Screenshot-2026-03-03-at-13.28.25-300x192.png 300w, https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Screenshot-2026-03-03-at-13.28.25-110x70.png 110w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 808px) 100vw, 808px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-s-next-for-ai-max-for-google-search\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"whats-next-for-ai-max-for-google-search\"><\/span>What&#8217;s next for AI Max for Google Search?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>So, where does this leave us? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>AI Max for Google Search is a technology that\u2019s <strong>old but new.<\/strong> It remains imperfect but highly promising. I liken this moment to the <strong>Ship of Theseus<\/strong>, a paradox about a boat that is rebuilt plank by plank until none of the original timber remains. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Is it still the same ship? Or a new one? Google Ads is that ship, and Search campaigns are being transformed in front of our eyes: <strong>moving from keywords to intent matching<\/strong>, and from copywriting to copy generation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You might absolutely hate this direction of travel. However, we strongly recommend that you begin experimenting. <strong>Based on a sample of 600 active accounts<\/strong>, roughly 16% of advertisers are currently testing it. Very few have gone \u201call in\u201d on AI Max. You certainly <strong>shouldn&#8217;t either<\/strong>. However, they are testing: within campaigns, within ad groups. And that\u2019s not a bad idea at all.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1568\" height=\"906\" src=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/smec_AI-max_usage-overview.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12319\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/smec_AI-max_usage-overview.png 1568w, https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/smec_AI-max_usage-overview-300x173.png 300w, https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/smec_AI-max_usage-overview-1024x592.png 1024w, https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/smec_AI-max_usage-overview-1536x888.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1568px) 100vw, 1568px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>After a seasonal lull in testing, AI Max adoption jumped in February 2026. This adoption curve could go vertical if DSA officially migrates to AI Max.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019ve so far avoided mentioning one of the headline use cases of AI Max, but let\u2019s finally utter a word or two about it: Ads in <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/\" type=\"post\" id=\"11760\">AI Overviews<\/a><\/strong> and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ads\/google-ai-mode-ecommerce-ads\/\" type=\"post\" id=\"11697\">AI Mode<\/a><\/strong>. You do NOT need AI Max to serve ads there. Broad match serves there, Shopping serves there, and PMax serves there. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Meanwhile, <strong>AI Max settings apply to all of your traffic,<\/strong> not just the shiny AI traffic. So <strong>do not fall prey to FOMO<\/strong>, do not make decisions on that basis. That\u2019s why I didn\u2019t mention it till now; I hope that makes sense for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-conclusion-what-to-make-of-ai-max\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"conclusion-what-to-make-of-ai-max\"><\/span>Conclusion: What to make of AI Max?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Here is exactly how you should approach AI Max based <strong>on your current setup:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Exact match loyalists:<\/strong> Perhaps little will change your mind. However, you are Google&#8217;s prime target right now. They are dangling a +27% revenue carrot in front of your nose. How strong is your willpower?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Hybrid pragmatists: <\/strong>You aren&#8217;t an automation enthusiast, but you aren&#8217;t allergic either. For you, we predict a +13% revenue uplift with hit-or-miss efficiency. Wager a small budget under strict testing criteria. If it works, scale it!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Automation maximalists: <\/strong>DSA already consumes &gt;25% of your Search spend. You run PMax and Broad Match aggressively. You can expect a moderate uplift here. However, you should stay ahead of the curve and start winding down your legacy DSA today.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>It\u2019s been over 10 years<\/strong> since David Rodnitzky\u2019s seminal article <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediapost.com\/publications\/article\/235593\/preparing-for-a-keywordless-sem-world.html?edition=76814\"><strong>Preparing For A Keywordless SEM World<\/strong><\/a>. The keyword hasn\u2019t died, and might never; however, the era of intent is most definitely here, and I say it will prove just as stubbornly long-lived. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Let\u2019s get on board.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-get-the-pdf\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"get-the-pdf\"><\/span>Get the PDF!<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"report-cover-mobile-pic\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The Ultimate Guide to AI Max by smec - cover thumbnail\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/a\/Website\/Guides_and_Reports\/ultimate-guide-to-ai-max-by-smec--thumb-cover.jpg\" style=\"border: 1px solid #0f0f0f; box-shadow: 1px 1px 1px 0px #0f0f0f;\" width=\"204\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"main-cta-form-wrapp\">\n<div class=\"dl-icon-mobil\" style=\"width: 72px; height: 72px; background: #ebbf52; padding: 17px; border-radius: 35px; position: absolute; right: 24px; top: 32px; z-index:1;\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"72\" src=\"https:\/\/a.storyblok.com\/f\/42081\/72x61\/5992562dc1\/download-ico.svg\" style=\"\" alt=\"download icon\" \/><\/div>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"state-of-aimax-campaigns-report-2026-short-form\" src=\"https:\/\/go.smarter-ecommerce.com\/l\/224312\/2026-03-05\/2bqs3f?brand=2022\" width=\"100%\" height=\"440\" type=\"text\/html\" frameborder=\"0\" allowTransparency=\"true\" style=\"border: 0\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div>\n<style>\n.report-cover-mobile-pic{\n        display: none;\n}\n.main-cta-form-wrapp{\n        position: relative; background: #4d40d2; border-radius: 8px; border: 1px solid #4d40d2; margin-bottom: 50px; padding-top: 42px; padding-left: 27px; padding-right: 27px; padding-bottom: 30px;\n}\n@media (max-width: 767px) {\n        .main-cta-form-wrapp{\n            padding: 10px 0px;\n        }\t\n\t#state-of-aimax-campaigns-report-2026-short-form{\n\t\theight: 620px;\n\t}\n        .dl-icon-mobil{\n             display: none;\n        }\n        .report-cover-mobile-pic{\n             display: block;\n             text-align: center;\n             margin-bottom: 30px;\n        }\n}\n<\/style>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Article updated 2026-03-23, 4:21 p.m. AI Max for Google Search marks a fundamental shift away from strict keyword syntax and toward pure intent matching, bringing Performance Max capabilities directly into classic Search campaigns. With Google confirming that AI Max will eventually replace Dynamic Search Ads (DSA), now is the time &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":12260,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[479],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12250","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-google-ads"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.7 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Ultimate Guide to AI Max for Google Search - smec<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"We take a look at 1 year of AI Max for Google Search and show you real-life best practices from 600+ accounts on optimizing AI Max.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ads\/the-ultimate-guide-to-ai-max-for-google-search\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Ultimate Guide to AI Max for Google Search\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"We take a look at 1 year of AI Max for Google Search and show you real-life best practices from 600+ accounts on optimizing AI Max.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ads\/the-ultimate-guide-to-ai-max-for-google-search\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"smec Blog | Follow current Ecommerce News, Trends &amp; Insights\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/SmarterEcommerce\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-03-23T15:25:30+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-23T15:49:45+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/AIMax-NL-hero.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1920\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Mike Ryan\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@mikeryanretail\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@smec\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Mike Ryan\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"18 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ads\\\/the-ultimate-guide-to-ai-max-for-google-search\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ads\\\/the-ultimate-guide-to-ai-max-for-google-search\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Mike Ryan\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/effa2765c648a602e080267660e48aac\"},\"headline\":\"The Ultimate Guide to AI Max for Google Search\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-03-23T15:25:30+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-23T15:49:45+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ads\\\/the-ultimate-guide-to-ai-max-for-google-search\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":3349,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ads\\\/the-ultimate-guide-to-ai-max-for-google-search\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/AIMax-NL-hero.png\",\"articleSection\":[\"Google Ads\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ads\\\/the-ultimate-guide-to-ai-max-for-google-search\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ads\\\/the-ultimate-guide-to-ai-max-for-google-search\\\/\",\"name\":\"The Ultimate Guide to AI Max for Google Search - 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