Starting in September, Google Ads will let advertisers compare budgets and ROI targets across several Search campaigns within a single AI Max experiment.

Google lets you test AI Max with different budgets and ROI before handing it more campaigns

Starting in September, Google Ads will let advertisers compare budgets and ROI targets across several Search campaigns within a single AI Max experiment.

What happened

Google announced new A/B tests for AI Max, its automation layer for search campaigns.
Starting in September, advertisers will be able to compare different budgets and return on investment (ROI) targets across multiple Search campaigns within a single experiment.
Tests will be able to keep brand and location controls, two relevant restrictions for companies that can’t leave all traffic expansion to automation.
Performance Planner will also let you project bid or budget changes and apply them directly to campaigns.

Why it matters

For those managing significant Search investment, the discussion stops being “AI, yes or no.” Google is building the mechanism to answer a much more useful question: how much additional money automation deserves, and at what return.
Keeping brand and geography controls during an experiment makes the comparison cleaner. Until now, testing automation could mean changing too many variables at once and then attributing the result to AI by elimination.
For small teams, applying recommendations from the planner reduces operational work. It also shortens the distance between a suggestion and spending money. It’s worth having someone keep reading before clicking.

What’s next

Multi-campaign tests with different budgets and ROI targets start rolling out in September 2026.
Brand and location controls will be available within AI Max experiments.
Performance Planner will keep integrating recommendations that can be applied directly to existing campaigns.

Advertising automation is entering a less flashy and more serious stage: generating ads is no longer enough. It has to prove it deserves the next dollar of budget.

Sources

Google Ads & Commerce — AI Max testing and planning tools: https://blog.google/products/ads-commerce/ai-max-testing-planning-tools/

*Edited by Rodrigo Cornejo.*