Google AI Max vs Microsoft AI Max: Same Name, Different Details

Google AI Max and Microsoft AI Max are separate products with the same name. Both are built on search term matching, text customization and final URL expansion. They differ in labels, guardrails, Dynamic Search Ads plans and the AI surfaces each company names.

If you import Google campaigns into Microsoft Advertising, those differences matter. This comparison is part of our AI ads hub. It was checked against Google's and Microsoft's documentation on 9 November 2026.

Side by side

Sources for each row are below.

What is the same

Both companies build AI Max on three features. Google's How AI Max works page names search term matching and asset optimization, which includes text customization and Final URL expansion. Microsoft's 27 August 2026 announcement says AI Max works "through search term matching, text customization, and final URL expansion."

Both are on by default for new campaigns. Google's setup page says "New Search campaigns have the AI Max feature turned on by default." Microsoft says AI Max "will also be enabled by default for any new Search campaigns you create," and can be turned off during creation or afterwards.

Both keep your negatives. Google's FAQ says negative keywords "will be respected even with AI Max turned on." Microsoft says AI Max "respects all existing Search campaign controls—including negative keywords, bidding strategies, budgets, conversion goals, and targeting settings."

Both offer brand inclusions and exclusions.

What is different

Reporting labels

Google adds "AI Max" as a match type in the search terms report, plus a source column for broad match expansion or keywordless matching. Microsoft says you will see a new "AI optimized" match type label in search term and keyword reports.

For landing pages, Google offers a "Search terms and ad combinations" view. Microsoft announced a "new search term landing page report template." If you report across both, map these names in your template. Our AI Max search terms report guide covers Google's side.

Copy guardrails

Google's text guidelines page calls the feature "an experimental beta." It allows up to 25 term exclusions and up to 40 messaging restrictions per campaign.

Microsoft's August post lists term exclusions as a control. Its October 2026 update says messaging guidelines are "available in open pilot for Performance Max campaigns and Search campaigns that have AI Max enabled," with up to 40 guidelines.

The limits look similar. The products are not the same, so do not assume a guideline written for one behaves the same in the other.

Existing auto-generated assets

Microsoft says that if you already use auto-generated assets with responsive search ads, you will see that capability inside AI Max as "text customization." It adds that "this change doesn't opt you into the broader AI Max feature set."

Google is moving the other way. Its June 2026 update says campaigns using automatically created assets are auto-upgraded to AI Max from September 2026, "with search term matching and text customization enabled by default."

Dynamic Search Ads

Google says the DSA "sunset and auto-upgrade" will begin in February 2027. Microsoft says "DSA campaigns will continue to be supported in Microsoft Advertising until further notice."

Microsoft also says that with Google Import, "upgraded DSA campaigns will be converted back to standard Dynamic Search ads campaigns in Microsoft Advertising." Our AI Max vs Dynamic Search Ads post covers Google's timeline.

Google Import

Microsoft says "AI Max settings can now be carried over from Google Ads." For scheduled imports, Microsoft campaigns that match Google campaigns with AI Max enabled "will continue to inherit those settings during future syncs."

If you turned AI Max on in Google, check what it turned on in Microsoft after your next import.

Which AI surfaces each one reaches

Google. Google's AI surfaces page lists AI Max among the AI-powered targeting eligible "for both contextual matching (query and AI response) and direct query matching" in AI Overviews and AI Mode. Broad match, Shopping and Performance Max are eligible too.

Microsoft. Microsoft's April 2026 post says AI Max is "an effective way to deliver relevant ads on AI surfaces like Copilot Search and Copilot Answers." Microsoft's Bing AI page now says "Copilot Search has evolved into two distinct AI experiences on Bing: AI Mode and AI Overview."

That Bing page does not mention ads. Ads in Bing AI Mode are covered in our separate post, Bing AI Mode and ads.

The results claims

Google's AI Max overview says advertisers "will typically see 14% more conversions or conversion value at a similar CPA/ROAS." Its footnote reads "Google internal data, 2025; for non-Retail advertisers."

Microsoft says that "in early tests, advertisers saw at least an 8% increase in conversions" versus control campaigns with AI Max disabled. Its footnote cites an "Analysis of 44 advertiser-run A/B experiments," and says 10 had statistically significant positive results.

These figures come from each vendor, about its own product, with different methods. They cannot be compared with each other, and they do not predict your account.

Which to use

You do not have to choose. You make the decisions separately on each platform.

• If you run Google only, start with our AI Max pre-launch checklist.
• If you import Google into Microsoft, check AI Max status in Microsoft after each import, and check DSA campaigns.
• If you want Copilot placements, Microsoft names AI Max as a route. Our Copilot ads vs AI Mode ads comparison covers the wider choice.

Next step

List which of your campaigns have AI Max on in each platform, and which were turned on by default or by import. If you want help running both, see our paid search management.

Frequently asked questions