Google Ads AI Max spotted automatically enabled in some Ad Grants accounts

Google Ads’ AI Max feature is appearing automatically enabled in some Google Ad Grants accounts, raising questions about how much control nonprofit advertisers have over AI-powered campaign settings.

What’s happening. AI Max has reportedly been found enabled in some Google Ad Grants Search campaigns without advertisers manually switching it on.

AI Max brings additional automation to existing Search campaigns, allowing Google to expand keyword matching and adapt ad messaging based on user intent.

Google has not confirmed that the reported behavior represents a new, Ad Grants-wide rollout.

How it works. AI Max uses Google’s AI technology to expand the reach of Search campaigns through several capabilities:

• Search term matching: Finds relevant searches beyond an advertiser’s existing keywords using broad-match and keywordless technology.
• Text customization: Automatically generates or adapts ad messaging based on landing pages and other campaign information.
• Landing page signals: Uses website content to better understand which searches may be relevant to the advertiser.

For nonprofits, this could help campaigns appear for additional searches related to donations, volunteering, services or community programs.

Why we care: For Google Ad Grants advertisers, maintaining CTR is particularly important because it is tied to account compliance.

AI Max may help nonprofits reach new audiences, but broader search matching could also create challenges if additional queries generate impressions without corresponding clicks.

A decline in CTR could become a compliance concern, especially for accounts already operating close to the minimum threshold.

What advertisers should do: Nonprofit advertisers managing Google Ad Grants accounts should check their AI Max settings this week.

In particular, they should review whether AI Max is enabled, examine recent search terms, monitor CTR and assess whether any additional traffic aligns with their campaign goals.

The bottom line. AI Max is appearing automatically enabled in some Google Ad Grants accounts. Nonprofit advertisers should check their campaign settings and monitor search relevance and ad messaging to make sure Google’s automation aligns with their objectives.

First spotted. The change was spotted by digital advertising specialist Dan Kabakov, who shared the observation on LinkedIn.