Google has extended the timeline for migrating Dynamic Search Ads (DSA) to AI Max for Search campaigns, pushing the final automation deadline to February 2027, according to an update from the Google Ads Developer Blog.
Google announced the initial update in April, stating that it would automatically upgrade eligible Search campaigns using DSA, automatically created assets, and campaign-level broad match to AI Max starting in September 2026. Now, the company is delaying that plan, giving advertisers a longer window to manage their campaigns and run tests before the transition becomes mandatory.
AI Max is Google's keywordless Search format, which uses automated systems to match queries and assemble ad assets in place of advertiser-selected keywords. The system combines search term matching, text customization, and landing page expansion to reach queries that traditional keyword setups might miss.
What is Changing Inside Google Ads
Dynamic Search Ads have traditionally worked by scanning website content and matching it to user search queries without relying on keyword lists.
Under the new plan, those DSA capabilities are being folded into AI Max for Search campaigns. Starting June 15, 2026, advertisers can continue to create new Dynamic Search Ads campaigns.
New Dynamic Search Ads creation closes in January 2027, ahead of the automatic migration. Google says the full auto-migration will take place in February 2027, when remaining DSA campaigns will be moved into AI-powered Search or Performance Max-style campaign structures. The company indicates that existing settings will be mapped into the new structures where possible.
Auto-created assets and the campaign-level broad match setting are still set to transition to AI Max on the original September 2026 schedule, meaning accounts relying on those elements will see automation arrive months before the full migration.
Google Ads Liaison, Ginny Marvin, links the extension is tied to advertiser requests for more time and to concerns about disrupting fourth-quarter planning, when search budgets typically peak.
Why Google Is Still Moving Toward AI Max
The delay is a concession on timing, not direction. AI Max is now the default setting when advertisers build new Search campaigns, which makes the keywordless format the starting point for any account that takes no action. Advertisers who want to keep manual keyword targeting have to opt out at setup rather than opt in.
That positions AI Max as the path of least resistance across Google's Search base, even as the firm deadline for existing Dynamic Search Ads slips into 2027. The default change does more to shape adoption than the migration date itself, because it routes every new campaign through automation unless an advertiser intervenes.
Competitive Context
The branding is not unique to Google. In May, Microsoft opened a pilot of its own AI Max for Search across Bing and Copilot, putting both companies behind near-identically named formats that remove manual keywords. The overlap underscores how fast keywordless search advertising has become the default direction for the two largest search ad platforms.
Recap
What is changing with Google's Dynamic Search Ads migration to AI Max?
Google is delaying the automatic migration of Dynamic Search Ads campaigns to AI Max for Search from September 2026 to February 2027, and is restoring the ability to create new Dynamic Search Ads campaigns as of June 15, 2026.
How does the delay affect existing Dynamic Search Ads campaigns?
Existing campaigns keep running, but auto-created assets and the campaign-level broad match setting still transition to AI Max on the original September 2026 timeline. New Dynamic Search Ads creation closes in January 2027, before the February 2027 auto-migration.
What does the shift mean for advertisers managing Search campaigns?
New Search campaigns now default to AI Max, so advertisers who want manual keyword control must change the setting at setup. The extended timeline gives PPC teams until February 2027 to test AI Max and adapt account structures before migration becomes mandatory.
