AI Max for Search: Dynamic Search Ads Upgrade Checklist Before February 2027
Short answer: Google is replacing Dynamic Search Ads (DSA) with AI Max for Search. Google first planned automatic upgrades for September 2026, then pushed the DSA sunset and auto-upgrade to February 2027. Campaigns using automatically created assets or campaign-level broad match continue to auto-upgrade from September 2026. Upgrading yourself before Google does it for you is the only way to keep full control of the settings.
What is AI Max for Search?
AI Max for Search is a set of features you switch on inside a normal Search campaign. Google took it out of beta on 15 April 2026. It has three parts:
- Search term matching: uses your keywords, ads and website to find relevant searches beyond your keyword list (similar to broad match).
- Text customisation: writes headlines and descriptions from your landing pages and existing ads.
- Final URL expansion: sends people to the page on your site that best matches their search, like DSA did.
Google says advertisers using all AI Max features see on average 7% more conversions or conversion value at a similar CPA or ROAS than with search term matching alone (Google internal data, non-retail advertisers, 2026).
Key takeaways
- AI Max for Search replaces Dynamic Search Ads. Google postponed the DSA auto-upgrade to February 2027.
- Campaigns with automatically created assets or campaign-level broad match already auto-upgrade from September 2026.
- Upgrade yourself first, so you control negatives, URL exclusions and brand settings.
- Fix conversion tracking before switching, because AI Max learns from your conversions.
Timeline: what happens when
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 15 April 2026 | AI Max leaves beta. Voluntary upgrade tools for DSA start rolling out. |
| September 2026 | Auto-upgrade starts for campaigns using automatically created assets (ACA) and campaign-level broad match. |
| February 2027 | DSA sunset and auto-upgrade begin (postponed from September 2026). |
Google will notify advertisers inside the account before any automatic change. Check the Google Ads Help Center for the latest dates, as they have already moved once.
What the auto-upgrade does to your campaigns
- DSA campaigns: dynamic ad groups become standard ad groups with search term matching, text customisation and final URL expansion all turned on. Your URL rules (page feeds, URL targets) are kept.
- ACA campaigns: switched to AI Max with search term matching and text customisation on.
- Campaign-level broad match: switched to AI Max with search term matching on.
The risk of waiting is simple. If Google turns everything on at once, you lose a clean before-and-after comparison.
Upgrade checklist (do this before February 2027)
- Export your current DSA data. Download search terms, landing pages and conversions for the last 90 days so you have a baseline.
- Fix conversion tracking first. AI Max learns from conversions. If you count page views or button clicks as conversions, it will optimise for the wrong thing. Use enhanced conversions or offline conversion import for leads.
- Build your negative keyword lists. Add account-level negatives for jobs, free, DIY, competitor names you don’t want, and anything irrelevant from your old search terms.
- Exclude pages you don’t want ads on. Careers, blog posts, login, privacy policy and thank-you pages should be excluded from final URL expansion.
- Add brand rules. Use brand exclusions or brand inclusions so AI Max doesn’t waste budget on other brands’ names, or your own when you don’t want it to.
- Upgrade with the in-account tool. For DSA, use the upgrade tool to move settings into standard ad groups. For ACA or broad match campaigns, use the banner in the Google Ads interface.
- Run a one-click experiment. Test AI Max against your old setup for 4 to 6 weeks before rolling it out everywhere.
- Review search terms weekly. The first month brings the most unexpected queries.
Does AI Max for Search work for small Indian budgets?
It can, but AI Max for Search needs data. A campaign spending ₹500 a day with three conversions a month gives the system very little to learn from. For small accounts:
- Combine similar campaigns so each one gets more conversions.
- Use a micro-conversion (such as a form start or WhatsApp click) only if you also import real leads.
- Keep exact-match campaigns for your best-performing keywords and use AI Max for discovery.
AI Max is also one of the ways your ads become eligible to appear in Google’s AI Mode, which started showing ads in India in October 2026. Read more in our post on AI Mode ads in India.
Want us to run the upgrade for you? Our Google Ads team handles migrations and reports results in cost per lead.
Frequently asked questions
When will Google stop Dynamic Search Ads?
Google postponed the DSA sunset and automatic upgrade to begin in February 2027. It had originally planned September 2026. Campaigns using automatically created assets or campaign-level broad match continue to auto-upgrade from September 2026.
Is AI Max for Search a new campaign type?
No. AI Max is a set of features you turn on inside an existing Search campaign: search term matching, text customisation and final URL expansion.
Can I turn off parts of AI Max?
Yes. Text customisation and final URL expansion can be switched off separately, and you can add URL exclusions, brand settings and negative keywords. Google recommends using all features but testing them with experiments.
Will my DSA page feeds still work after the upgrade?
Yes. According to Google, legacy URL controls stay in place when DSA ad groups are upgraded to standard ad groups with AI Max.
Does AI Max improve results?
Google reports an average of 7% more conversions or conversion value at a similar CPA or ROAS when all AI Max features are used, compared with search term matching alone. Your results depend on your conversion data, so test before switching fully.
Sources: Google Ads & Commerce blog; Google Ads Help. Last updated 31 October 2026.