Google AI Max for Search Goes Global in Beta - One-Click Tests and What Comes Next

Google AI Max for Search goes global in beta

AI Max packages Google Ads AI features inside Search campaigns and is available worldwide in beta across Ads interfaces and the API. Built-in experiments enable side-by-side testing within a single campaign.

Key details

• One-click experiments are integrated in campaign setup so advertisers can compare a control against a trial within one campaign.
• Experiments split traffic between variants in the same Search campaign. No campaign clone is created.
• Default experiment settings enable Search term matching and Asset optimization. Both can be adjusted.
• Search term matching can be turned off at the ad group level. Asset optimization can be disabled at the campaign level.
• Brand controls include inclusions and exclusions at the campaign level, with ad groups able to specify brand inclusions.
• URL exclusions can be set at the campaign level. URL inclusions can be set at the ad group level.
• A location of interest option is available at the ad group level to support geographic precision.
• Reporting adds AI Max indicators to Search terms and Keywords reports. Combined views include matched terms, headlines, and landing URLs.
• An auto-apply setting can implement changes when results meet defined criteria. Manual application is also available.
• Text guidelines will expand to more advertisers in fall. The guidelines will apply to AI Max and Performance Max.

Eligibility and restrictions

• Campaigns with Display Network targeting, portfolio bid strategies, or shared budgets cannot use this experiment flow.
• Campaigns using legacy features cannot start AI Max experiments via this flow. Examples include older text customization, existing brand inclusions or exclusions, or ad-group location inclusion already configured.

Where it is available

The beta is accessible in the Google Ads UI, Google Ads Editor, Search Ads 360, and the Google Ads API.

Background and resources

AI Max consolidates Google Ads AI features into a selectable mode within Search campaigns and adds experiment tooling and reporting indicators for evaluation. For setup and planning guidance, see Google’s best-practices guide and the latest Think Week materials.