What Happened
Google has officially announced the deprecation of Dynamic Search Ads (DSA), transitioning all legacy DSA capabilities into AI Max. Starting in September 2026, advertisers will no longer be able to create new DSA campaigns through Google Ads, Google Ads Editor, or the Google Ads API. Existing eligible campaigns will be migrated automatically.
This isn't a surprise — advertisers have speculated about this shift for months. But the timeline is now concrete, and the implications are significant for any business relying on DSA for query coverage.
Key Takeaways
- DSA is dead, effective September 2026. No new campaigns can be created. Existing campaigns migrate automatically by end of September.
- AI Max is positioned as DSA's successor. It combines advertiser assets, landing page content, and broader intent signals to match ads to more relevant queries. Google reports campaigns using the full AI Max suite see an average of 7% more conversions or conversion value at similar CPA/ROAS.
- AI Max adds controls DSA never had: brand controls, location controls, text guidelines, search term matching, text customization, and final URL expansion.
- Two-phase rollout: Phase 1 (now) — voluntary upgrade tools rolling out this week, letting advertisers move historical settings and data into new standard ad groups. Phase 2 (September) — automatic upgrades for remaining eligible campaigns.
- Default settings vary by legacy type: DSA users get all three AI Max features enabled by default (search term matching, text customization, final URL expansion). ACA users get two (matching + customization). Campaign-level broad match users get only search term matching.
The ONmetrics Take
This is a net positive — but only if you prepare. AI Max's added controls address DSA's biggest weakness: the black-box nature of query matching. Brand controls alone make this worth the transition for most advertisers.
What London, Ontario businesses should do right now:
1. Pull your DSA performance data today. Before the automatic upgrades begin, document conversions, assisted conversions, search terms, landing pages, and efficiency metrics. You need this baseline to judge whether AI Max performs better or worse post-migration.
2. Upgrade on your own timeline. Google is giving you a window to migrate voluntarily with full control over settings. Use it. Automatic upgrades come with default settings that may not be optimal for your account structure.
3. Run a one-click experiment first. Before committing, test AI Max against your current DSA setup. Google offers experiment functionality — use it to understand the performance delta with your actual data, not Google's averages.
4. Review your brand controls. This is the biggest new capability. If you've been running DSA without brand exclusions (many businesses do), AI Max's brand controls let you separate branded from non-branded query coverage for the first time.
5. Don't wait until September. Voluntary upgrades start now. Automatic upgrades in September come with defaults that may spend differently than your current setup. Moving early gives you time to optimize before the forced migration.
We've managed over $50M in ad spend and we've seen every Google migration since Enhanced Campaigns. The advertisers who move early and test deliberately always come out ahead. If you need help evaluating your DSA campaigns for the transition, reach out.