Yes, in some cases. AI Max is on by default in new Search campaigns, and starting in September 2026 Google automatically upgrades existing campaigns that use automatically created assets or the campaign-level broad match setting. Dynamic Search Ads campaigns follow from February 2027. You can turn AI Max or its single features off in campaign settings.
AI Max for Search is a set of features you switch on inside a Search campaign, not a separate campaign type. Google turns it on for you in two situations: when you create a new Search campaign, and when it upgrades older automation settings.
Which campaigns get AI Max without you asking?
As of November 2026, Google's help pages and blog list these cases:
| Campaign | What Google does | When | What gets switched on |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Search campaigns | AI Max is on by default at setup | Already in place | AI Max, with text customization and final URL expansion on by default |
| Existing campaigns using automatically created assets (now called text customization) | Automatic upgrade to AI Max | Starting September 2026 | Search term matching and text customization |
| Existing campaigns using the campaign-level broad match setting | Automatic upgrade to AI Max | Starting September 2026 | Search term matching |
| Dynamic Search Ads campaigns | Automatic upgrade to AI Max as DSA is retired | Starting February 2027, pushed back from the original plan | All three features, with your old URL controls carried over |
Google has not announced automatic upgrades for other existing Search campaigns. If none of these cases fit yours, AI Max stays off until you turn it on.
What does AI Max change in a campaign?
AI Max bundles three features:
- Search term matching uses broad match and keywordless technology to show your ads on searches beyond your keyword list.
- Text customization writes headlines and descriptions from your ads, landing pages and assets.
- Final URL expansion sends people to the page on your site that Google thinks fits the search best. It needs text customization, so switching text customization off turns it off too.
A few details matter for control. Negative keywords still apply with AI Max on. Pinned headlines are not honored when text customization and final URL expansion are both on. Google says the features need conversion-based Smart Bidding to work well, and that with Manual CPC the benefits are limited.
How do you check it and turn it off?
- Go to Campaigns, then Settings, and select the campaign.
- Open the AI Max section.
- Switch AI Max off completely, or keep it on and untick the features you don't want.
- Search term matching can also be turned off for a single ad group.
- When you create a new Search campaign, check this section before you publish, since it starts switched on.
My advice: never let a default make this decision for you. If an upgrade switched AI Max on, read the search terms and the generated ad text for the next few weeks before you decide to keep it. For all the other automated settings, see how to turn off AI features in Google Ads.
For a full walkthrough, read my guide to AI Max for Search campaigns and what to watch out for with AI Max.
Sources
- Google Ads Help: Set up AI Max for Search campaigns - https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/15909989
- Google Ads Help: How AI Max for Search campaigns works - https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/15910187
- Google Ads Help: Frequently asked questions about AI Max for Search campaigns - https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/15913066
- Google Ads Help: Turn text customization on or off in Search campaigns - https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/16738708
- Google Blog: We're upgrading Dynamic Search Ads to AI Max - https://blog.google/products/ads-commerce/dsa-upgrade-to-ai-max-2026/