AI Max in Google Ads: When It Wins, When It Fails, and How to Test It Properly

The Revenue Room · 2026-02-23 · 28 min

Episode notes

In this shorter episode of Unqualified Leads , Harry and Dan break down Google Ads AI Max - what it is, how it works, and the real-world results (good and bad) from live experiments. AI Max isn’t a new campaign type, it’s a layer you can add to existing Search campaigns that expands matching, dynamically optimises assets, and can even choose different final URLs based on intent. When it works, it can unlock major performance gains. When it doesn’t, it can burn budget fast with irrelevant queries. We cover: What AI Max actually changes (matching, assets, URL expansion) When it tends to work (B2C, mass-appeal search pools) vs fail (tight B2B intent) How to run a proper Google Ads experiment (instead of duplicating campaigns) Real results from tests: +40% to +125% conversions with -28% to -57% CPA , plus examples where it tanked The biggest practical downside: negative keyword workload and query control Why you shouldn’t use AI Max on brand campaigns If you’re considering AI Max, this episode gives you the criteria, guardrails, and testing approach to decide whether it’s worth it in your account. Hosts: Daniel Hughes: Harry Hughes:

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