{"id":745756,"date":"2026-09-02T00:20:27","date_gmt":"2026-09-01T21:20:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/google-vs-microsoft-ai-max-whats-the-same-and-whats-different\/"},"modified":"2026-09-02T00:20:27","modified_gmt":"2026-09-01T21:20:27","slug":"google-vs-microsoft-ai-max-whats-the-same-and-whats-different","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/google-vs-microsoft-ai-max-whats-the-same-and-whats-different\/","title":{"rendered":"Google vs. Microsoft AI Max: What\u2019s the same and what\u2019s different"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_87 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a9e235a659d1\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a9e235a659d1\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/google-vs-microsoft-ai-max-whats-the-same-and-whats-different\/#Learn_where_the_platforms_align_where_controls_and_reporting_differ_and_how_to_test_AI_features_without_disrupting_campaign_performance\" >Learn where the platforms align, where controls and reporting differ, and how to test AI features without disrupting campaign performance.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/google-vs-microsoft-ai-max-whats-the-same-and-whats-different\/#Whats_the_same_between_Google_and_Microsoft_AI_Max\" >What\u2019s the same between Google and Microsoft AI Max?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/google-vs-microsoft-ai-max-whats-the-same-and-whats-different\/#AI_Max_is_a_setting_not_a_campaign_type\" >AI Max is a setting, not a campaign type.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/google-vs-microsoft-ai-max-whats-the-same-and-whats-different\/#Conversion-based_bidding_is_a_core_part_of_search_term_matching\" >Conversion-based bidding is a core part of search term matching\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/google-vs-microsoft-ai-max-whats-the-same-and-whats-different\/#Brand_controls_exist_on_both_though_there_are_some_differences_in_whats_available\" >Brand controls exist on both, though there are some differences in what\u2019s available.<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/google-vs-microsoft-ai-max-whats-the-same-and-whats-different\/#Google\" >Google:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/google-vs-microsoft-ai-max-whats-the-same-and-whats-different\/#Microsoft\" >Microsoft:<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/google-vs-microsoft-ai-max-whats-the-same-and-whats-different\/#Whats_unique_between_Google_and_Microsoft_AI_Max\" >What\u2019s unique between Google and Microsoft AI Max?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/google-vs-microsoft-ai-max-whats-the-same-and-whats-different\/#Consolidation_of_settings_vs_being_able_to_pick_and_choose_all_three\" >Consolidation of settings vs being able to pick and choose all three.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/google-vs-microsoft-ai-max-whats-the-same-and-whats-different\/#Matching_mechanics_and_search_term_transparency_are_different\" >Matching mechanics and search term transparency are different.<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/google-vs-microsoft-ai-max-whats-the-same-and-whats-different\/#How_to_leverage_AI_Max_in_existing_and_new_account_structures\" >How to leverage AI Max in existing and new account structures?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/google-vs-microsoft-ai-max-whats-the-same-and-whats-different\/#Do_you_trust_your_conversion_measurement_and_do_you_meet_conversion_thresholds\" >Do you trust your conversion measurement and do you meet conversion thresholds?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/google-vs-microsoft-ai-max-whats-the-same-and-whats-different\/#Will_your_landing_pages_be_a_help_or_a_hindrance_in_conveying_who_you_are_to_the_ad_platform\" >Will your landing pages be a help or a hindrance in conveying who you are to the ad platform?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/google-vs-microsoft-ai-max-whats-the-same-and-whats-different\/#Are_your_existing_ad_assets_on_brand_or_do_they_have_serious_deviation\" >Are your existing ad assets on brand or do they have serious deviation?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/google-vs-microsoft-ai-max-whats-the-same-and-whats-different\/#Is_PMax_already_part_of_your_account_structure\" >Is PMax already part of your account structure?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/google-vs-microsoft-ai-max-whats-the-same-and-whats-different\/#Have_you_budgeted_for_the_targets_your_setting\" >Have you budgeted for the targets your setting?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/google-vs-microsoft-ai-max-whats-the-same-and-whats-different\/#Final_takeaways\" >Final takeaways<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/google-vs-microsoft-ai-max-whats-the-same-and-whats-different\/#Topics_on_this_page\" >Topics on this page<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"subhead\" itemprop=\"alternativeHeadline\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Learn_where_the_platforms_align_where_controls_and_reporting_differ_and_how_to_test_AI_features_without_disrupting_campaign_performance\"><\/span>Learn where the platforms align, where controls and reporting differ, and how to test AI features without disrupting campaign performance.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"bialty-container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With the global launch of Microsoft AI Max for Search campaigns, it\u2019s worth spending some time unpacking where the features align and differ from Google\u2019s version.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Much of the core functionality is the same:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Search term matching expanding your reach beyond static keyword lists<\/strong>. AI Max uses your keywords, ads, and landing pages, along with intent and contextual signals, to uncover relevant searches you may not qualify for with keywords alone. This is especially helpful for complex conversational queries.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Text customization allowing ads to adapt to high-value placements and prospects<\/strong>. AI Max uses your existing assets and website content to generate and test additional messaging variations. It then selects the most <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>ropriate combinations at auction time, helping you to deliver more relevant ad creative, including in AI-native experiences.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Final URL expansion that routes people to the page on your site that best matches their intent.<\/strong> Instead of always sending traffic to a static landing page, AI Max can route people to the page that best matches what they\u2019re looking for.\u00a0 This ensures a more consistent user experience across query, creative, and website.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" id=\"h-however-there-are-some-key-nuanced-differences-we-ll-spend-this-post-diving-into\">However, there are some key nuanced differences. We\u2019ll dive into:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u00a0Where Google and Microsoft AI Max are the same.<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Key points of differentiation between Google and Microsoft AI Max.<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0How to leverage AI Max successfully in new and existing account structure.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1791\" height=\"694\" http: alt=\"Microsoft AI Max\" class=\"wp-image-486307\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2026\/09\/Microsoft-AI-Max.jpeg 1791w, https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2026\/09\/Microsoft-AI-Max-768x298.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2026\/09\/Microsoft-AI-Max-1536x595.jpeg 1536w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 1791px) 100vw, 1791px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2026\/09\/Microsoft-AI-Max.jpeg\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1791\" height=\"694\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2026\/09\/Microsoft-AI-Max.jpeg\" alt=\"Microsoft AI Max\" class=\"wp-image-486307\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2026\/09\/Microsoft-AI-Max.jpeg 1791w, https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2026\/09\/Microsoft-AI-Max-768x298.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2026\/09\/Microsoft-AI-Max-1536x595.jpeg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1791px) 100vw, 1791px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>(Note: I am a Microsoft Advertising employee and wrote this post as platform-agnostically as possible. Features discussed in this post are based on publicly available help documentation as of September 2026.)<\/em><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-what-s-the-same-between-google-and-microsoft-ai-max\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Whats_the_same_between_Google_and_Microsoft_AI_Max\"><\/span>What\u2019s the same between Google and Microsoft AI Max?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Aside from the core functionality, the following AI Max mechanics remain the same across both Google and Microsoft.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"h-ai-max-is-a-setting-not-a-campaign-type\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"AI_Max_is_a_setting_not_a_campaign_type\"><\/span>AI Max is a setting, not a campaign type.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Unlike Performance Max (PMax), Demand Gen, Audience ads, and other unique campaign types, AI Max represents optional settings within Search campaigns. These settings are designed to work better together, and advertisers tend to see the most benefit when they opt into all three. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s how advertisers benefit when they leverage all three core AI Max features across Google and Microsoft:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Search term matching allows for net new queries and that can bring the advertiser into auctions their static ad might not accurately reflect. By allowing the text to adapt in the moment, you\u2019ll ensure your ads are relevant for those new queries.<\/li>\n<li>To deliver the most relevant landing page for unique queries, Final URL expansion can be really helpful. Final URL expansion is linked with Text asset generation as platforms need to be able to adapt creative to make a promise the dynamic landing page can deliver on.<\/li>\n<li>If you\u2019re going to allow for text generation, you\u2019ll get the most bang for your optimization buck by also allowing for intelligent matching of URLs and relevant queries.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That said, if advertisers want to begin with a more conservative test, they absolutely can. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, an ecommerce brand selling products with similar margins might feel more comfortable testing URL expansion because it allows them to get fuller coverage of their products without building out unique ad groups, but don\u2019t want to leverage search term matching. While Brand Controls exist and can help ensure certain brands aren\u2019t included (more on that later), it\u2019s fair for the advertiser to start with just Final URL Expansion and Text customization.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whether an advertiser tests just one, two, or all three parts of AI Max, these tests can be done safely with experiments. While both platforms support controlled testing, Google\u2019s AI Max experiments are designed to run within the existing campaign by diverting traffic, whereas Microsoft Advertising\u2019s Search Experiments compare a standard campaign against a cloned test version with AI Max enabled.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1062\" height=\"916\" http: alt=\"AI Max experiments\" class=\"wp-image-486311\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2026\/09\/AI-Max-Experiments.jpeg 1062w, https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2026\/09\/AI-Max-Experiments-768x662.jpeg 768w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 1062px) 100vw, 1062px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2026\/09\/AI-Max-Experiments.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1062\" height=\"916\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2026\/09\/AI-Max-Experiments.jpeg\" alt=\"AI Max experiments\" class=\"wp-image-486311\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2026\/09\/AI-Max-Experiments.jpeg 1062w, https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2026\/09\/AI-Max-Experiments-768x662.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1062px) 100vw, 1062px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here is guidance on how to experiment with AI Max:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Start with your strongest campaign.<\/strong> Choose a campaign with stable performance and enough volume to generate results. Experiments work best when there\u2019s enough traffic to detect meaningful differences.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Create a 50\/50 split.<\/strong> Split traffic evenly between the control and experiment. Keeping traffic balanced makes it easier to determine whether performance differences are due to the change you\u2019re testing.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Let the experiment learn.<\/strong> One common mistake is ending a test too quickly. New bidding strategies and AI-powered features need time to learn. If you\u2019re testing AI Max specifically, go directly into an A\/B test and allow sufficient learning time before drawing conclusions.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Measure business outcomes, not just clicks.<\/strong> Focus on:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Conversion rate<\/li>\n<li>Cost per acquisition (CPA)<\/li>\n<li>Return on ad spend (ROAS)<\/li>\n<li>Changes in revenue or conversion value<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 id=\"h-conversion-based-bidding-is-a-core-part-of-search-term-matching-nbsp-nbsp-nbsp\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conversion-based_bidding_is_a_core_part_of_search_term_matching\"><\/span>Conversion-based bidding is a core part of search term matching\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AI Max\u2019s search term matching relies heavily on conversion data in order to be successful. This is why both Google and Microsoft AI Max require conversion-based bidding when enabling this part of AI Max.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Conversion-based bidding works when there\u2019s accurate conversion data flowing into the platform. It is ideal to have at least 15-30 conversions in a 30-day period before working with conversion-based bidding. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If your brand likely won\u2019t hit the threshold, it makes sense to wait on trying AI Max until you can or to use micro-conversions with strategic conversion values. This means setting conversion values aligned to each stage of the journey and TROAS that reflects the focus on important steps.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, if a brand wanted to secure applications for their financial product, they might include conversion goals reflecting different completion milestones (beginning, mid-way, completed, and accepted). These conversion goals would get a profit-related conversion value associated:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Beginning application: $10<\/li>\n<li>Mid-way: $20<\/li>\n<li>Completed: $50<\/li>\n<li>Accepted: actual conversion value using offline conversion uploads.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 id=\"h-brand-controls-exist-on-both-though-there-are-some-differences-in-what-s-available\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Brand_controls_exist_on_both_though_there_are_some_differences_in_whats_available\"><\/span>Brand controls exist on both, though there are some differences in what\u2019s available.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Google and Microsoft both understood advertisers need messaging and branding controls to ensure ad creative stays within style guides. That\u2019s why both AI Max variants allow advertisers to set brand inclusions, exclusions, term exclusions, and message constraints.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To make it easier to understand the mechanics for each, here\u2019s the breakdown:<\/p>\n<h4 id=\"h-google\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Google\"><\/span><strong>Google:<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Brand inclusions: <strong>10 brand lists per campaign<\/strong>, with <strong>up to 5,000 brands per list<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Brand exclusions: <strong>10 brand lists per campaign<\/strong>, with <strong>up to 5,000 brands per list<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Term exclusions: 25 per campaign<\/li>\n<li>Message constraints: 40 per campaign<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4 id=\"h-microsoft\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Microsoft\"><\/span><strong>Microsoft:<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Brand inclusions: <strong>20 brand lists per campaign<\/strong>, with <strong>up to 100 brands per list<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Brand exclusions: <strong>20 brand lists per campaign<\/strong>, with <strong>up to 100 brands per list<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Term exclusions: 25 per campaign<\/li>\n<li>Message constraints: 40 per campaign<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Microsoft offers disclaimers that do not take up ad real estate, and work with AI Max. Google is piloting disclaimers as of this writing that would take up description line #2.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1042\" height=\"746\" http: alt=\"AI Max disclaimer\" class=\"wp-image-486314\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2026\/09\/AI-Max-disclaimer.png 1042w, https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2026\/09\/AI-Max-disclaimer-768x550.png 768w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 1042px) 100vw, 1042px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2026\/09\/AI-Max-disclaimer.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1042\" height=\"746\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2026\/09\/AI-Max-disclaimer.png\" alt=\"AI Max disclaimer\" class=\"wp-image-486314\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2026\/09\/AI-Max-disclaimer.png 1042w, https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2026\/09\/AI-Max-disclaimer-768x550.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1042px) 100vw, 1042px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"h-what-s-unique-between-google-and-microsoft-ai-max\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Whats_unique_between_Google_and_Microsoft_AI_Max\"><\/span>What\u2019s unique between Google and Microsoft AI Max?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While most of the core AI Max functionality remains the same, there are a few key differences to account for when moving between ad platforms.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"h-consolidation-of-settings-vs-being-able-to-pick-and-choose-all-three\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Consolidation_of_settings_vs_being_able_to_pick_and_choose_all_three\"><\/span>Consolidation of settings vs being able to pick and choose all three.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AI Max features work better together, so it makes sense to opt into all three. However, if you want to test individual settings before committing to the full suite, Microsoft makes this easier by offering all three features as opt-in toggles.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Google opts all advertisers who turn on AI Max at the campaign level into search term matching, which can be turned off at the ad group level.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1247\" height=\"851\" http: alt=\"Ad group settings for AI Max\" class=\"wp-image-486316\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2026\/09\/Ad-group-settings-for-AI-Max.jpeg 1247w, https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2026\/09\/Ad-group-settings-for-AI-Max-768x524.jpeg 768w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 1247px) 100vw, 1247px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2026\/09\/Ad-group-settings-for-AI-Max.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1247\" height=\"851\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2026\/09\/Ad-group-settings-for-AI-Max.jpeg\" alt=\"Ad group settings for AI Max\" class=\"wp-image-486316\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2026\/09\/Ad-group-settings-for-AI-Max.jpeg 1247w, https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2026\/09\/Ad-group-settings-for-AI-Max-768x524.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1247px) 100vw, 1247px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While Microsoft maintains all existing ad group targeting settings (including location targeting, scheduling, and time zone selection), there are no AI Max-specific ad group settings.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Google also supports Locations of interest, URL inclusions, and Brand inclusions at the ad group level.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This means Google\u2019s AI Max management asks advertisers to make more decisions at the ad group level, while Microsoft focuses AI Max settings at the campaign level.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"h-matching-mechanics-and-search-term-transparency-are-different\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Matching_mechanics_and_search_term_transparency_are_different\"><\/span>Matching mechanics and search term transparency are different.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both Google and Microsoft recommend leaning away from syntax-oriented keywords as they can get in the way of being eligible to serve for complex and longer queries, especially in AI experiences.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, Google and Microsoft take different approaches to matching and search term reporting. Microsoft offers full search term reporting for any query resulting in a click for AI Max, PMax, and traditional Search and Shopping campaigns. These can be found in the reporting templates, <em>Search term<\/em> and <em>Search term landing page<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Google hides some search terms for privacy reasons, which also means there isn\u2019t full transparency on whether the query is relevant. To mitigate this, Google allows for more close variant mechanics in negative keywords.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When it comes to matching, due to different ecosystems, there are inherently different signals about how Google and Microsoft will match user queries to advertiser campaigns. Here\u2019s a breakdown of the main signals by each ad platform:<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Google:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">YouTube<\/a> data<\/li>\n<li>Previous search behavior<\/li>\n<li>Conversion data<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Landing page<\/li>\n<li>Other keywords in the ad group<\/li>\n<li>Audiences: In-market, demographics, and other 1P audiences like Customer Match).\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Microsoft:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>LinkedIn data<\/li>\n<li>Previous search behavior<\/li>\n<li>Conversion data<\/li>\n<li>Landing page<\/li>\n<li>Other keywords in the ad group<\/li>\n<li>Audiences: Impression-based remarketing, In-market, demographics, and other 1P audiences like Customer Match<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"h-how-to-leverage-ai-max-in-existing-and-new-account-structures\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_leverage_AI_Max_in_existing_and_new_account_structures\"><\/span>How to leverage AI Max in existing and new account structures?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AI Max brings the best of AI functionality to search campaigns, and it\u2019s understandable that advertisers will want to test some or all of the AI Max feature suite. However, there are some key considerations for accounts bringing AI Max into their structures.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here are the top five considerations:<\/p>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u00a0Do you trust your conversions measurement\u00a0 and do you meet conversion thresholds?<\/li>\n<li>Will your landing pages be a help or a hindrance in conveying what your brand offers to AI systems as they address human questions?<\/li>\n<li>Are your existing ad assets on brand or do they have serious deviation?<\/li>\n<li>Is PMax already part of your account structure?<\/li>\n<li>Have you budgeted for the targets you\u2019re setting?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let\u2019s dig deeper into each one.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"h-do-you-trust-your-conversion-measurement-and-do-you-meet-conversion-thresholds\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_you_trust_your_conversion_measurement_and_do_you_meet_conversion_thresholds\"><\/span>Do you trust your conversion measurement and do you meet conversion thresholds?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AI Max and conversion-based bidding are joined at the hip because conversions are a critical signal AI Max uses to help advertisers connect with the right customers at the best ROI. If your campaigns don\u2019t have accurate conversions feeding into the system, or don\u2019t have enough conversion data (15-30 conversions in a 30-day period is the minimum), it will be very hard for AI Max to make intelligent matching choices.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you have an existing account with at least 90 days of accurate conversion data, AI Max is a no-brainer.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Newer accounts should work on building conversion data so they can leverage AI Max and conversion-based bidding once the account ramps up.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"h-will-your-landing-pages-be-a-help-or-a-hindrance-in-conveying-who-you-are-to-the-ad-platform\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Will_your_landing_pages_be_a_help_or_a_hindrance_in_conveying_who_you_are_to_the_ad_platform\"><\/span>Will your landing pages be a help or a hindrance in conveying who you are to the ad platform?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Landing pages are a critical signal that ad platforms use to understand your utility to a potential user. If your landing page is accessible in phrasing and visuals, this translates to easier content consumption for AI and humans alike. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A really great example of this is including alt-text on images and videos on the landing page, which ensures there can be no doubt about the subject matter. On the flip side, if you don\u2019t make it clear what you\u2019re offering and why your customers enjoy working with you, it can be hard to translate those messages to AI creative and matching.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A common mistake brands will make is disallowing all bots from crawling their landing pages, which deprives AI from critical insights into who you are and how you can help your customers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A good way to understand whether your landing pages are AI Max compatible is to plug them into the PMax campaign creation flow. If you strongly disagree with the assets Google or Microsoft generated for you, that can be a sign to adjust landing page copy\/mechanics before turning on AI Max.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"h-are-your-existing-ad-assets-on-brand-or-do-they-have-serious-deviation\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Are_your_existing_ad_assets_on_brand_or_do_they_have_serious_deviation\"><\/span>Are your existing ad assets on brand or do they have serious deviation?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both Google and Microsoft AI Max rely on existing text assets to inform potential new ad creative. Beyond adding in Brand Controls (including term exclusions and message constraints), it\u2019s really important that your ad assets reflect the guidance you share.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, if you give a style guide note that all headlines should be sentence-cased, but your existing headlines are title-cased, that can cause confusion in the system. It\u2019s important to audit your ad creative and landing pages for phrasing choices that might not align or were included unintentionally.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"h-is-pmax-already-part-of-your-account-structure\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_PMax_already_part_of_your_account_structure\"><\/span>Is PMax already part of your account structure?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AI Max takes the best parts of PMax AI and layers them as optional boosts to Search campaigns. That means there are inherently fewer net-new opportunities for AI Max to unlock in accounts already running mature PMax campaigns.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, AI Max can still add value when PMax is focused primarily on Shopping, is budget-constrained, or isn\u2019t fully capturing your search opportunity. Rather than evaluating AI Max and PMax in isolation, focus on whether the combination is driving incremental account-level growth in conversions, revenue, or efficiency<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">PMax, by its nature, is cross-channel, and has a strong affinity for ecommerce. It can be useful to have AI Max as a search specific tool to go after parts of your business you don\u2019t want exposed to non-search inventory.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In short, running AI Max and PMax in the same account isn\u2019t inherently good or bad. If you want the full AI performance lift, Performance Max will have an easier time delivering that because it\u2019s not restricted to search only surfaces. AI Max represents the useful AI gains of PMax in choice oriented and search-specific experience.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"h-have-you-budgeted-for-the-targets-your-setting\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Have_you_budgeted_for_the_targets_your_setting\"><\/span>Have you budgeted for the targets your setting?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AI Max requires leaning into conversion-based bidding (\u201cSmart\u201d on Google and \u201cAuto\u201d on Microsoft). One of the biggest reasons any campaign can fail is it\u2019s asked to go after too many targets for the budget.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, if you\u2019re targeting customers for your plumbing business, it won\u2019t be useful to ask the same campaign to go after minor repairs and a burst pipe. This is because the services have different costs, levels of urgency, and service capacities.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/general\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"3\" title=\"General\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">general<\/a> rule, all services\/products within a campaign should be within 20-30% of each other. If there\u2019s too much variance, make sure you\u2019ve set up accurate conversion values\/TROAS goals, URL exclusions, and budgeted enough to cover the spread.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-final-takeaways\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Final_takeaways\"><\/span>Final takeaways<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ultimately, Google and Microsoft\u2019s AI Max are fairly similar. The differences have more to do with platform-specific mechanics.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both agree that you\u2019ll see the best results when you opt into all three core AI Max features.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Google puts more AI Max functionality at the ad group level, while Microsoft makes it a campaign-level choice.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both platforms actively take on advertiser feedback, so if there is a preference for one style of management vs another, it\u2019s worth sharing through support.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ttd-topics-display\">\n<div class=\"ttd-topics-content\">\n<h5><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Topics_on_this_page\"><\/span>Topics on this page<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n<div class=\"ttd-topics-links\">HBO MaxGoogleMicrosoftPay-per-clickArtificial intelligenceBrandDigital marketingLinkedInMicrosoft AdvertisingSearch advertisingSearch engine marketingSearch engine optimizationYouTube<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ttd-topics-show-extra-button\">+9 more<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMN63nwsw68G3Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" >Technology<\/a><\/span> category.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/google-vs-microsoft-ai-max-486296\" target=\"_blank\" >Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Learn where the platforms align, where controls and reporting differ, and how to test AI features without disrupting campaign performance. With the global launch of Microsoft AI Max for Search campaigns, it\u2019s worth spending some time unpacking where the features align and differ from Google\u2019s version. Much of the core functionality is the same: Search&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-745756","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/745756","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=745756"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/745756\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=745756"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=745756"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=745756"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}