What is AI Max and why did Google turn it on without asking?

AI Max changes how your Search campaigns run. You didn't ask for it and you can't turn it down.

Who gets switched to AI Max?

Search campaigns that use broad match or Automatically Created Assets. If your account uses either one, it's on the list.

When does the switch happen?

Between September 1 and September 30, 2026. There's no opt out, and no button that puts it back.

What changes about bidding?

With the migration, manual bidding is deprecated. You can't set a max cost per lead anymore. One campaign level Target CPA now applies across every service category in that campaign.

Say you run plumbing and drain cleaning. Before, you could bid one price for a drain call and another for a repipe. Now both sit under the same target, unless you split them into separate campaigns. That split is the whole fix, and it's covered in the cost per lead post.

What happens right after the switch?

Expect up to two weeks of unstable performance while the system re-learns your account. Lead cost can swing high, then settle. The mistake is panicking on day two, or ignoring it for a month.

What does prepared look like?

• Campaigns split by service, so each one keeps its own lead cost.
• Conversion tracking checked and firing correctly.
• Target CPA set from your real reporting history, not a guess.
• Your reporting history downloaded before Google deletes it.
• Somebody watching the account daily for the first two weeks.

What if I do nothing?

The switch still happens. You just find out how it went by reading your bank balance. If your reports are still available, start with what Google deletes.

Want a second set of eyes, start with the free 10 minute check, and if you want the whole job done for you the Migration Rescue is $2,000 flat. Start on the home page.