Not long ago, broad match was touted as the future of paid search. Now, that spotlight has shifted to AI Max. In recent months, I’ve repeatedly heard advice to turn on AI Max for brand campaigns, even when those campaigns are already delivering exactly as planned. The issue is that many accounts still don’t have the core elements AI Max needs to perform effectively. Conversion tracking is shaky, offline conversion imports are missing, and generic campaigns are still limited by budget or structural constraints. AI Max relies on robust conversion signals, enough volume, and sufficient variation for the system to learn. In many setups, brand campaigns supply the bulk of those signals. But enabling AI Max on brand also means layering more automation onto your most stable and cost-efficient traffic source.
The promise and limitations of AI Max
AI Max broadens search reach beyond your current keyword list by using keywords, landing pages, and site content as signals instead of rigid targeting rules. Similar to dynamic search ads (DSA), AI Max can serve on queries you haven’t explicitly added as keywords. However, it pushes further, extending beyond the intent boundaries defined by your existing keyword set. Google is promoting AI Max as the next evolution of Search automation, with DSA, automatically created assets, and campaign-level broad match settings all slated to roll into AI Max in September. The platform offers controls like brand exclusions, URL exclusions, text guidelines, and location targeting. In accounts with accurate conversion tracking, adequate search volume, and dependable performance signals, AI Max can potentially surface incremental…