Google AI Max for Search-Smarter Targeting, Creative & Reach

Google has introduced AI Max for Search campaigns, a new beta feature set designed to bring the best of Google AI to advertisers who want more reach, better targeting, and smarter creative optimization in their Search campaigns.

This is not just a tweak to keyword targeting — it’s a shift toward predictive, multimodal, and intent-driven advertising.

The ad. Here’s a screenshot showing what it looks like:

Note: The ad was shared by Nikki Kuhlman, VP of search at Jumpfly, on LinkedIn.

Table of Contents

Quick Facts — AI Max at a Glance

Feature	What It Does	Why It Matters
Expanded Query Reach	Uses broad match + keywordless tech to capture relevant searches beyond current keywords	Unlocks new queries & customers
Asset Optimization	Generates headlines & descriptions in real time from landing pages, ads & keywords	Matches emerging intent instantly
Final URL Expansion	Directs users to the most relevant page	Improves landing page relevance
Performance Uplift	+14% conversions/value at same CPA/ROAS; +27% for exact/phrase-only campaigns	Delivers measurable growth
Global Beta Rollout	Available later this month	Access to AI tools before wider release

The Bigger Picture: AI-Powered Search

Google Search is evolving into a more exploratory and multimodal platform:

AI Overviews provide richer, contextual results.
Google Lens allows visual search, expanding entry points beyond typed queries.
AI is predicting what users might need next, enabling ads to appear in new moments that previously didn’t exist.

This is where AI Max comes in — matching ads to emerging intent signals instead of just exact keyword matches.

Expanding Reach Beyond Keywords

With AI Max, advertisers aren’t limited to their keyword lists:

Broad Match works alongside keywordless matching to find high-performing, relevant queries.
Google AI learns from your existing keywords, assets, and URLs to serve ads in more searches where you have a competitive fit.
Keyword and keywordless priority rules remain the same as in existing Search and PMax campaigns.

Example:
If you sell apparel and only bid on “red midi dress,” you’d miss “colorful midi dresses for spring.” AI Max identifies that the latter is relevant and adapts your creative to match it.

Smarter Creative with Asset Optimisation

AI Max replaces “Automatically Created Assets” with enhanced text customisation.
Headlines, descriptions, and CTAs are generated using your landing pages, ads, and keywords.
Google AI is better at incorporating unique selling points and clear calls-to-action.
Final URL Expansion ensures the user is sent to the most relevant page — not just a generic landing page.

This means your ad copy evolves with real-time intent, making it more contextually relevant and increasing click probability.

The Data: Measurable Performance Gains

According to Google:

Advertisers using AI Max see 14% more conversions or value at the same CPA/ROAS.
Campaigns still using exact & phrase match see an even higher lift — 27%.

That’s a significant performance bump without increasing spend.

Preparing for the Future of Search

AI Max isn’t just about today’s Search campaigns:

It’s designed to future-proof your setup for evolving search behaviour.
As Search surfaces become more visual, conversational, and predictive, AI Max gives you a competitive edge by adapting faster than manual setups.

Action Plan for Advertisers

Short-Term Moves

Test AI Max on a segment of campaigns to measure performance uplift.
Expand asset libraries — more input data means better AI outputs.
Monitor search term reports to track new queries unlocked.

Long-Term Moves

Prepare for multimodal search trends — think voice, image, and conversational queries.
Keep refining first-party data to help AI match intent more precisely.
Combine AI Max with bidding automation for maximum synergy.

Bottom Line

AI Max for Search campaigns is Google’s AI-first approach to scaling reach, improving ad relevance, and delivering measurable growth.

By combining expanded query matching, real-time creative optimisation, and intent-driven targeting, advertisers can unlock opportunities that didn’t exist before.

Early adoption is likely to give brands a competitive advantage — especially as Search becomes more predictive and multimodal.