Updated
Dynamic Search Ads campaigns are being folded into AI Max. Google says upgrades improve results; advertisers should check what changes in their account first.
In 60 seconds
- Google is moving Dynamic Search Ads (DSA) to AI Max for Search. Automatic upgrades started in September 2026 for campaigns using Automatically Created Assets and campaign-level broad match.
- The DSA sunset date has been extended to February 2027.
- Google says AI Max campaigns see on average 7% more conversions or conversion value at a similar CPA or ROAS.
- On September 23, Google said a unified AI Max report is coming later in 2026.
Impact Layer
- What changed
- Google began automatically upgrading some search campaigns to AI Max and extended the end date for Dynamic Search Ads to February 2027.
- Why it matters
- Search campaigns that rely on dynamic ad generation will be changed whether advertisers act or not, and reporting for the new setup is still being built.
- Who is affected
- Paid-search managers and agencies running Dynamic Search Ads, Automatically Created Assets or campaign-level broad match.
- Martech stack area
- Analytics, AI, Advertising
- Stack impact
- Reporting and search-term analysis may change as AI Max reports arrive. Audit current account settings and exclusions.
- Business impact
- High Automatic upgrades can change spend and traffic mix; set alerts and review search terms in the weeks after the upgrade.
- Related technologies
- Related vendors
- What to watch
- Details of the unified AI Max report (search term, assets, landing page) due later in 2026, the February 2027 DSA sunset, and the expansion of the AI Brief closed beta.
Google is folding Dynamic Search Ads (DSA) into AI Max for Search campaigns. Brandon Ervin, director of product management for Google Ads, wrote the company’s announcement, first posted on April 15, 2026 and updated on June 11. A further post on September 23, 2026 covered reporting.
The timeline
- September 2026: automatic upgrades start for campaigns that use Automatically Created Assets and broad match at campaign level.
- February 2027: the sunset date for DSA, which Google extended from its earlier schedule.
Google’s results claim
Google says that, on average, advertisers moving to AI Max see 7% more conversions or conversion value at a similar cost per acquisition or return on ad spend. This is Google’s average, and individual accounts vary.
What is new from September 23
Google said it is building a unified AI Max report that brings together search terms, assets and landing pages, with details to follow later in 2026. It also said its AI Brief feature, in closed beta, is expanding to Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish.
Editorial guidance
This is our checklist, not Google’s.
- Record your current conversion volume, cost per acquisition and top search terms before the upgrade.
- Review brand and negative keyword exclusions, since the upgrade changes how queries are matched.
- Check which landing pages the system can send traffic to and whether any should be excluded.
- Set an alert on spend and conversion rate for two to four weeks after the upgrade.
- Reconcile reporting once the unified AI Max report is available.
Sources
- Google: Dynamic Search Ads upgrade to AI Max in 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Posted April 15, 2026 and updated June 11. Author: Brandon Ervin, Director of Product Management, Google Ads.
- Google: AI Max language and reporting features (opens in a new tab)
Unified AI Max report and AI Brief beta expansion.
- PPC Land: Google Ads AI Max auto-upgrade (opens in a new tab)
Trade-press analysis of the upgrade.