Microsoft AI Max becomes a default to check in new Search campaigns

What changed

Carolyn Chou’s Microsoft Advertising announcement distinguishes new campaigns from existing settings. AI Max is enabled by default when a new Search campaign is created, but advertisers can turn it off. Existing auto-generated assets are renamed text customisation without opting the campaign into the entire AI Max suite. Google Import can carry AI Max settings into corresponding Microsoft campaigns again during scheduled syncs.

That creates two different control points for an agency. The person creating a Microsoft campaign needs to review its initial configuration; the person responsible for Google Import needs to understand what a later sync can change. Checking the toggle once at launch does not resolve the second question. An import schedule should have a named owner and a clear record of which platform supplies the intended settings.

Microsoft also separates Dynamic Search ads from this migration. It says upgraded Google DSA campaigns import as standard Microsoft DSA campaigns, which remain supported until further notice. A campaign labelled as upgraded in one platform should therefore not be assumed to have the same capabilities in the other. This is especially relevant when a reporting dashboard groups campaigns by name rather than checking their actual configuration.

Why it matters for advertisers

Treat the change as a configuration and measurement review before treating it as a performance opportunity. For a controlled evaluation, record the starting matching, creative and destination settings, then inspect the resulting queries and landing pages alongside conversion quality. If an import changes the test halfway through, the result becomes harder to interpret. Microsoft’s aggregate test claims do not establish what a particular advertiser will gain.