Key Takeaways
- Google is retiring Dynamic Search Ads (DSA) and replacing them with Google AI Max for Search campaigns
- Automatic upgrades begin in September 2026; voluntary migration is available right now
- DSA, automatically created assets (ACA), and campaign-level broad match are all affected
- AI Max delivers an average of 7% more conversions at a similar CPA/ROAS vs. search term matching alone
- Migrating before September keeps you in control of your settings and transition timeline
If you run Dynamic Search Ads, your campaigns are changing, whether you act or not. On April 15, 2026, Google confirmed that Google AI Max for Search campaigns will replace DSA entirely, with automatic upgrades rolling out in September 2026. This guide explains exactly what is changing, who is affected, what to expect from performance, and what steps to take right now before the deadline.
Read more: We’re upgrading Dynamic Search Ads to AI Max
What Is Google AI Max for Search Campaigns?
What is Google AI Max for Search: Google AI Max for Search campaigns is Google’s next-generation, AI-driven search advertising platform. It launched in beta in May 2025 and, after adoption by hundreds of thousands of global advertisers, officially exited beta on April 15, 2026.
Think of it as DSA’s smarter successor. While Dynamic Search Ads used your website content to match search queries and auto-generate headlines, AI Max goes significantly further. It combines your ad assets, keywords, and website content with real-time intent signals to reach queries your keyword lists and landing pages alone would never have captured.
AI Max for Search brings together three core capabilities:
- Search term matching: Uses real-time intent signals plus your website content to discover high-value, previously untapped queries.
- Text customization: AI-powered headline and ad copy generation that stays highly relevant to each individual query.
- Final URL expansion: Automatically routes users to the most relevant page on your site, even if that page isn’t part of your linked site structure.
AI Max also offers more advanced advertiser controls than DSA ever provided: brand controls, location controls, and text guidelines that let you steer the AI with far greater precision.
What Google Says: “This evolution is about moving from static tools to a system that truly understands intent. Simply pulling text from a website isn’t enough anymore.” — Brandon Ervin, Director of Product Management, Google Ads
Google AI Max vs. Dynamic Search Ads: Full Feature Comparison
| Capability | Dynamic Search Ads (Legacy) | Google AI Max for Search |
|---|---|---|
| Query matching | Matches using website content only | Website content + real-time intent signals for untapped queries |
| Ad creation | Auto-generates headlines from page content | AI-powered text customization per query for higher relevance |
| Landing pages | Matches to pages within your site structure | Final URL expansion: routes to most relevant page, even unlisted ones |
| Advertiser controls | Limited controls | Advanced brand controls, location controls, text guidelines |
| Performance at scale | Captures additional traffic beyond keywords | Smarter targeting + AI creative for scalable, optimized growth |
| Keywords | No keyword requirement: relies on site content | Keywords remain central, used as core intent signals with broad match |
AI Max Performance: What the Data Shows
+7% more conversions or conversion value at a similar CPA/ROAS with the full AI Max suite
(Source: Google internal data, global, May–July 2024. Full feature suite vs. search term matching alone.)
Google reports that advertisers using all three AI Max features together, search term matching, text customization, and final URL expansion, see an average of 7% more conversions or conversion value at a similar cost-per-acquisition or return on ad spend, compared to using search term matching alone.
Important Context: The 7% figure is lower than the 14% uplift Google cited when AI Max first launched in May 2025. Independent testing has produced mixed results: one study across more than 250 retail campaigns found conversions at approximately 35% lower ROAS than traditional match types. Set a strong performance baseline before migrating and monitor closely for the first four to six weeks.
Who Is Affected by the DSA to AI Max Upgrade?
Three groups of advertisers will be automatically migrated in September 2026:
- Dynamic Search Ads (DSA) users: Any campaign containing dynamic ad groups will be upgraded. This is the primary affected group.
- Automatically Created Assets (ACA) users: Campaigns using Google’s automatically generated ad assets are included in the migration.
- Campaign-level broad match setting users: Campaigns using broad match at the campaign level (rather than the keyword level) will also be upgraded.
If your campaigns do not use any of these three features, you are not directly affected by the September automatic upgrade, though you can still adopt AI Max voluntarily.
The Migration Timeline: Phase by Phase
Phase 1: Voluntary upgrades available (Now through August 2026)
Google has released in-platform upgrade tools for DSA users to port historical settings and data into standard ad groups. ACA and broad match users will see an “Upgrade campaign” banner in the Google Ads UI. Google strongly recommends migrating now to maintain full control over your campaign setup before automatic changes begin.
Phase 2: Automatic upgrades begin, new DSA creation ends (September 2026)
All remaining eligible campaigns with legacy settings are automatically upgraded to AI Max. New DSA campaign creation via Google Ads, Google Ads Editor, and the Google Ads API ends. Google will notify affected accounts before the transition begins.
Phase 3: All upgrades complete (End of September 2026)
Every eligible campaign has been upgraded to AI Max, with settings configured to mirror each advertiser’s legacy setup to maintain performance stability. Legacy URL controls are preserved throughout.
What Happens to Your Campaign Settings at Migration?
Google has designed the migration to preserve as much of your existing setup as possible. Here is exactly what is carried over, by user type:
For DSA users:
- Dynamic ad groups convert to standard ad groups
- All historical settings and performance data are ported to AI Max
- All three AI Max features are enabled: search term matching, text customization, and final URL expansion
- Your legacy URL controls are preserved
For ACA (automatically created assets) users:
- Campaigns upgrade to AI Max with search term matching and text customization enabled by default
For campaign-level broad match setting users:
- Campaigns upgrade to AI Max with search term matching enabled by default
Note for API users: New DSA campaign creation via the API ends in September 2026. Google Ads API version 21 (August 2025) introduced the ai_max_setting.enable_ai_max field. Update any automated workflows that create or manage DSA campaigns before the deadline to avoid workflow failures.
Why Is Google Retiring Dynamic Search Ads Now?
Several forces are converging to drive this change:
- Search behavior is fundamentally shifting. Users are increasingly turning to AI-powered search tools, including Google’s own AI Overviews, Gemini, ChatGPT, and Claude, for complex, multi-step queries. These searches are less linear and less predictable than traditional keyword-driven queries. DSA’s page-based matching cannot keep pace.
- Competitive pressure on Google. Meta is forecast by eMarketer to surpass Google in digital ad revenues for the first time in 2026, a direct competitive threat that makes moving advertisers onto a higher-performing, AI-native platform a strategic priority.
- DSA has reached its architectural limits. Introduced in 2011, DSA was designed as a catch-all for traffic beyond keyword campaigns. After 15 years, the signals it relies on, static website landing pages, no longer reflect the full complexity of modern search intent.
- AI Max has proven itself at scale. With hundreds of thousands of advertisers already using AI Max in beta, Google has sufficient performance data and platform stability to move it out of beta and make it the new default.
What to Do Right Now: 6 Action Steps for Advertisers
Step 1: Audit your DSA campaigns
Pull conversions, search terms, landing page data, and efficiency metrics for all active DSA campaigns. This baseline is essential for measuring post-migration performance changes.
Step 2: Use the voluntary upgrade tool now
DSA users: access the in-platform upgrade tool in Google Ads (rolling out April 2026). ACA and broad match users: look for the “Upgrade campaign” pop-up banner in your Google Ads UI.
Step 3: Configure AI Max controls
Set brand controls, location controls, and text guidelines immediately after upgrading. These precision controls are AI Max’s biggest advantage over DSA: use them from day one.
Step 4: Run one-click experiments
Use Google’s built-in one-click experiments to test AI Max performance against your legacy setup before fully committing. Especially important for high-spend accounts.
Step 5: Monitor search term reports closely
After migration, watch which queries AI Max is matching to. Compare search term quality against DSA benchmarks. Track lead quality and conversion paths, not just raw volume.
Step 6: Update API and automation workflows
If you manage campaigns via the Google Ads API, update all automated scripts or tools that create or modify DSA campaigns before September to prevent workflow failures.
Don’t wait for the automatic upgrade. Waiting for September’s automatic migration means losing weeks of testing and tuning time. The voluntary migration window, open right now, is your only opportunity to transition on your own terms, with preferred settings in place from day one.
Frequently Asked Questions About Google AI Max
What is Google AI Max for Search campaigns?
Google AI Max for Search campaigns is Google’s AI-powered replacement for Dynamic Search Ads. It uses real-time intent signals, AI-powered text customization, and final URL expansion to find more high-value queries and serve more relevant ads, with stronger advertiser controls than DSA ever provided.
When will Dynamic Search Ads be shut down?
Google will begin automatic upgrades of Dynamic Search Ads to AI Max in September 2026. New DSA campaign creation via Google Ads, Google Ads Editor, and the Google Ads API will also end in September 2026. All eligible upgrades are expected to be complete by the end of September 2026.
Do I need to do anything now, or will Google migrate my DSA campaigns automatically?
Google will automatically migrate eligible DSA campaigns in September 2026, but voluntary migration is strongly recommended now. Migrating early gives you control over settings, structure, and testing time before automatic changes are applied with less flexibility.
How does Google AI Max perform compared to Dynamic Search Ads?
According to Google’s internal data, campaigns using the full AI Max feature suite see an average of 7% more conversions or conversion value at a similar CPA or ROAS compared to search term matching alone. Independent results vary: establish your own baseline and monitor performance closely after migration.
What happens to my DSA campaign settings during the automatic upgrade?
For DSA users, dynamic ad groups convert to standard ad groups with all three AI Max features enabled, and legacy URL controls are preserved. For ACA users, search term matching and text customization are on by default. For campaign-level broad match users, search term matching is enabled by default.
Will keywords still matter in Google AI Max?
Yes. Google has confirmed that keywords remain an essential component of AI Max, providing core intent signals for the AI. AI Max simplifies keyword management and expands reach beyond keyword lists, but does not eliminate keywords. Google also has no plans to sunset exact match targeting.
Can I opt out of the AI Max upgrade entirely?
For campaigns using DSA, ACA, or campaign-level broad match, automatic migration in September 2026 is mandatory for eligible campaigns. However, Google’s product director has confirmed that advertisers who do not want to use AI Max are not required to adopt it for campaigns that don’t use those legacy features.
The Bottom Line
The retirement of Dynamic Search Ads is one of the most significant structural changes to Google’s search advertising platform in years. DSA served advertisers well for 15 years, but the complexity of modern search behavior, driven by AI-powered queries, AI Overviews, and rapidly shifting user intent, has outpaced what a page-matching system can deliver.
Google AI Max represents the platform’s answer to this new era: a system that understands intent in real time, customizes ad creative dynamically, and reaches queries that static keyword lists and landing page signals miss entirely. The performance data is encouraging, the advertiser controls are stronger than DSA’s, and the migration path is clearly laid out.
The question for every DSA advertiser is not whether to migrate: that decision has been made for you. The question is when and how carefully. Migrating now, with your baseline data in hand and AI Max controls properly configured, puts you in a fundamentally stronger position than waiting for September’s automatic switch to make those decisions on your behalf.
Your next step: Log into Google Ads today and navigate to your DSA campaigns. Look for the in-platform upgrade tool or the “Upgrade campaign” banner. Starting the migration now gives you weeks of testing and optimization time before the September deadline removes that flexibility.
Sources: Google Ads & Commerce Blog (April 15, 2026), Search Engine Land, Search Engine Journal, Marketing Dive, AdWeek, PPC Land. Performance data: Google internal, global, May–July 2024. AI Max full feature suite vs. search term matching alone at similar CPA/ROAS.
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