Google updated its AI Max for Search reporting documentation with new guidance on performance reporting, optimization best practices and a key timeline for Dynamic Search Ads advertisers.
The most notable addition: Google says campaigns using Dynamic Search Ads (DSA) will automatically be upgraded to AI Max beginning in February 2027.
What’s happening. Google refreshed its help documentation for AI Max for Search campaigns, expanding reporting guidance and providing more detail on how advertisers should evaluate campaign performance.
The update doesn’t introduce new product features, but it offers insight into how Google wants advertisers to manage and interpret AI Max campaigns going forward.
Why we care. The document update provides an indication yet of Google’s long-term plans for AI Max and the eventual phaseout of Dynamic Search Ads. With automatic DSA upgrades scheduled for February 2027, advertisers have more visibility into how their Search strategies may need to evolve over the next year.
The headline change. Google formally documented the upcoming transition from Dynamic Search Ads to AI Max.
According to the updated help page, campaigns using DSA will be automatically upgraded to AI Max starting in February 2027 as Google works to expand adoption of its AI-powered Search campaign format.
What’s new in reporting: Google added new reporting views that allow advertisers to analyze performance across:
- Search terms.
- Search terms and landing pages from AI Max.
- Search terms from Dynamic Search Ads.
- Search terms and landing pages from Dynamic Search Ads.
The company also clarified that search term reports show where users are directed after clicking an ad and highlighted new options for excluding underperforming search terms or landing pages through negative keywords and negative URLs.
Travel advertisers get new guidance. Google also introduced a new section dedicated to Search Campaigns for Travel.
The documentation explains how reporting consolidates performance data across multiple campaign components into a unified view, helping advertisers evaluate search terms, inventory performance and conversion outcomes.
Travel advertisers can also segment reports by ad format to compare performance across Travel Promotion Ads, Booking Links and Travel Feed-based ads.
A shift in optimization philosophy. The updated best practices place greater emphasis on intent-based targeting rather than strict keyword matching.
Google now advises advertisers to:
- Focus on conversion goals over keyword relevance.
- Review search term and item group performance every one to two weeks.
- Use negative keywords sparingly.
- Avoid over-filtering traffic that could benefit from AI-driven intent matching.
Bottom line. Google’s documentation update provides more than reporting guidance—it offers a roadmap for how advertisers should prepare for an AI Max-first future as Dynamic Search Ads move closer to retirement.
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