Google Delays Dynamic Search Ads Move to AI Max
▼ Summary
– Google delayed the automatic migration of Dynamic Search Ads (DSA) to AI Max for Search from September 2026 to February 2027.
– DSA campaign creation will be restored starting June 15, giving advertisers more control over the transition.
– The extended timeline allows advertisers to run side-by-side tests and benchmark performance before the forced upgrade.
– Google recommends advertisers audit existing DSA campaigns and use voluntary migration tools before the February 2027 deadline.
– DSA campaign creation ends in January 2027, with automatic migration of remaining campaigns starting in February 2027.
Google has officially delayed the automatic migration of Dynamic Search Ads (DSA) to AI Max for Search by five months, now pushing the deadline from September 2026 to February 2027. The company is also reinstating the ability for advertisers to create new DSA campaigns starting June 15.
The shift gives marketers more breathing room to evaluate Google’s AI-powered alternatives and manage the phase-out of one of the platform’s longest-running search campaign types on their own schedule.
What’s happening. The planned automigration of DSA campaigns, originally set for this fall, has been postponed. Google is also allowing advertisers to resume DSA campaign creation beginning June 15, restoring a feature that had been removed earlier.
Background. Dynamic Search Ads automatically generate ad targeting based on a website’s content. They are being gradually replaced by newer, AI-driven formats like AI Max for Search, broad match, and Smart Bidding. The extended timeline provides advertisers with extra months to compare performance and craft migration strategies before Google automatically upgrades remaining campaigns.
Why it matters. Advertisers now have nearly six additional months to test AI Max and other AI-powered search formats before being forced off DSAs. This extra time enables teams to run side-by-side experiments, benchmark results, and refine their transition plans, rather than relying on an automatic upgrade.
What advertisers should do now. Google recommends that advertisers audit their existing DSA campaigns, conduct A/B testing against AI Max for Search, and use voluntary migration tools ahead of the February 2027 deadline.
Key dates:
- June 2026: DSA campaign creation returns.The takeaway. Google is offering advertisers a longer runway to transition from Dynamic Search Ads to AI-powered search campaigns while maintaining access to DSA creation and testing capabilities in the interim. This move reflects a more measured approach to phasing out legacy ad formats.
