If you run Google Ads for your business and you noticed something looking different in your account this month, you are not imagining it. Since 1 September 2026, Google has been automatically migrating any Search campaign still using campaign-level broad match or automatically created assets over to its newer AI Max system. The Google Ads AI Max upgrade runs through the end of September, and unlike most Google Ads changes, there is no way to opt out of it.
What the Google Ads AI Max upgrade is actually changing
AI Max is not a new feature you will be offered. It is Google folding several older, more manual settings into one AI-managed system that decides which search terms your ads show for and, in some cases, rewrites your ad headlines and descriptions on the fly. Google quietly stopped letting anyone create new campaigns with the old settings back in early August, and from 1 to 30 September it is converting existing campaigns in place, a few at a time rather than all in one go.
The detail worth knowing is this. Campaigns that only had broad match switched on are being migrated with the automatic headline and description rewriting turned off, while campaigns that were using Google's automatically created assets are being migrated with that rewriting turned on. Search term matching, which is the part of AI Max that decides how loosely your ads match what someone actually typed, is being switched on for everyone. If you have never dug into your Google Ads settings before, none of this will mean much on its own. What matters is the effect it can have on your account.
Google says it is designing the migration to be as smooth as possible, and for a lot of accounts it probably will be. But independent testing reported by industry publications has found AI Max campaigns picking up noticeably more invalid or low-quality clicks than the older match types, and lower returns on ad spend in some comparisons. That is not a reason to panic. It is a reason to check your account rather than assume nothing has changed.
Why this hits a small budget harder than a big one
A large advertiser spending tens of thousands of pounds a month can usually absorb a handful of low-quality clicks without noticing. A local business spending a few hundred pounds a month on Google Ads cannot. When search term matching is loosened, your ads can start showing for searches that are only loosely related to what you actually offer. On a small daily budget, even a short run of expensive, off-target clicks can eat a real share of your spend before you have spotted it.
This is exactly the kind of thing GLC watches for clients running Google Ads campaigns, because attribution and spend efficiency matter more, not less, when the budget is tight.
What this means for your business
If you or someone on your team manages your own Google Ads account, it is worth ten minutes this month to check a few things:
- Look for a recent change to your Search campaigns. Google has added new reporting fields that show exactly when a campaign was migrated, so you can compare performance before and after the switch.
- Check your negative keyword lists. These become more important under AI Max, not less, because they are one of your few remaining ways to tell Google what you do not want to show up for.
- Review your daily budget caps, especially if you are running on a tight monthly spend. A lower daily cap limits how much a bad few days can cost you while you watch how the new settings behave.
- Check your ad headlines and descriptions if you were using automatically created assets. Google can now rewrite these automatically, so it is worth confirming what is actually live still sounds like your business.
If you do not manage your own account, or you have never been entirely sure what broad match even means, that is a normal position to be in. It is also exactly the kind of change that is easy to miss until a monthly bill looks higher than expected for no obvious reason.
Frequently asked questions
What is Google Ads AI Max?
It is Google's newer, AI-driven system for managing Search campaign targeting and ad creative, replacing the older broad match and automatically created assets settings. The Google Ads AI Max upgrade is the September 2026 migration of those older settings onto that system.
Did Google change my Google Ads campaign without asking me?
If your Search campaigns were using campaign-level broad match or automatically created assets, Google began migrating them automatically from 1 September 2026. You were not asked campaign by campaign.
Can I opt out of the AI Max upgrade?
No. Google has removed the option to keep the old settings. The only choice available is whether you configure the migration yourself in advance or let Google's default settings apply.
Will AI Max make my Google Ads more expensive?
Not necessarily, but broader search term matching can bring in lower-quality clicks on some accounts, which can push up cost per genuine enquiry if it is not monitored. Checking performance before and after your migration date is the way to find out.
Not sure what is happening in your own Google Ads account?
This is a genuinely small change to explain and a genuinely easy one to miss if you are busy running the actual business rather than reading Google's release notes. If you would rather have someone keep an eye on this kind of thing for you, GLC's paid marketing service covers Google Ads and Meta Ads setup and ongoing management, with attribution that connects your spend to real enquiries rather than vanity clicks. For a related read, we covered ChatGPT Ads for UK advertisers if you are weighing up where else your ad budget could go.
And if this has you wondering whether your website itself is doing its job, not just your ads, our free website design offer is a no-obligation way to find out. You see a professional design first and only pay if you are happy to proceed.
Contact Gareth at GLC Web Solutions to review your Google Ads account after the AI Max migration, and to check whether your spend is still going on the searches you actually want.
