The DSA Sunset: Why You Must Master AI Max Before Google Pulls the Plug

Apr 28

Dynamic Search Ads (DSAs) are a key piece of Google Ads - but now AI Max is set to take them over. What does it mean, and what do you need to do? Toby Wells investigates

If you’ve been leaning on Dynamic Search Ads (DSAs) to fill the gaps in your keyword strategy or cope with fast product switchovers, the clock has officially started ticking. Google has announced that the transition from DSAs to AI Max is no longer a "maybe" - it’s a "when."

The Transition Timeline: Don’t Get Caught in September

Google has provided a clear roadmap for the rollout, but the window is closing fast and also includes the summer when development processes often slow down. Here is the breakdown based on the latest 2026 guidance:

Starting Now (April): Voluntary upgrade tools are live. You can now port your historical DSA data into AI Max manually.
September: The "Big Bang." New DSA campaign creation will be disabled. Google will begin the auto-upgrade process for any remaining eligible campaigns.
End of September: The transition concludes. By October, the DSA as we know it will be a relic of the past.

From previous transitions (Smart Shopping to PMax for example) we can say that those who test early win, and those who wait for the "auto-upgrade" to happen, usually spend weeks fixing a mess.

Three Key Strategies to Master AI Max

AI Max is more powerful than DSA, but it’s also more aggressive. To maintain performance and brand safety, you need to use the new control suite effectively. Here are the three pillars of a successful migration:

1. Tame the AI’s Tongue with Text Guidelines

One of the biggest fears with AI-generated creative is the "off brand" factor - AI writing copy that doesn't sound like your brand or includes out of date information.

Fix: Use the Text Guidelines feature. This allows you to set guardrails on the copy Google generates. You can define specific messaging restrictions (like "never mention price") or term exclusions to ensure the generated headlines and descriptions align perfectly with your brand voice.

2. Master Your URL Logic

In the old DSA world, URL control was relatively simple. In AI Max, the interaction between campaign and ad group levels is more nuanced.

Campaign Level: Use URL Exclusions to keep the AI away from "noise" pages like your Terms & Conditions, privacy policy, or out-of-stock categories.
Ad Group Level: Leverage URL Inclusions to force the AI to focus on specific commercial silos. Understanding this hierarchy is the difference between sending traffic to a high-intent product page or a dead end page.

3. Stop the "Brand Whack-a-Mole"

If you just plug and play, AI Max can be "hungry" for brand terms. It often prioritises your own brand terms or competitor names because they offer clicks and conversion towards the target goal. This can cannibalise your existing Brand Search campaigns or mask the true CPA on the new customers or more refined target.

Pro Tip: Use brand exclusion/inclusion lists from day one. Instead of playing "whack-a-mole" by adding negative keywords every week, set your brand boundaries early to ensure AI Max is hunting for new incremental business, not just eating what's already on your plate.

The Bottom Line

The shift to AI Max is part of a broader direction of travel which Google have set, evolving their keyword, match type, audience finding, and ad copy tools. If Dynamic Search Ads have become a crucial part of your set up, now is the time to test campaign structures with AI Max in order to replace (and hopefully exceed) current performance. There might be several options, so lay out a roadmap and consult with Google or an expert agency like Kinase if you’re unsure which are worth testing.

Don't wait for the auto-upgrade tool to make decisions for your business. If you need help navigating the new URL inclusion rules or setting up your brand safety guidelines, reach out to our team today. We’ll help you turn this "forced upgrade" into a competitive advantage.

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