Category: Google Ads | PPC | Digital Marketing
Published: June 18, 2026
Read time: 5 min
Site: TheTechCursor
Featured Image Alt Text: Google Ads Dynamic Search Ads migration timeline to AI Max delayed to February 2027
If you have been scrambling to migrate your Dynamic Search Ads campaigns before Google’s forced transition deadline, you now have significantly more breathing room. On June 12, 2026, Google announced it is pushing back the automatic migration of DSA campaigns to AI Max by five months — and reversing a previous restriction by allowing advertisers to create new DSA campaigns again.
Here is exactly what changed, why Google made this decision, and what you should do with the extra time.
What Actually Changed
Google’s automatic upgrade of Dynamic Search Ads campaigns — along with Search campaigns using broad match and Smart Bidding — to AI Max has been postponed. The original deadline of September 2026 has moved to February 2027.
Additionally, Google is restoring the ability to create new DSA campaigns starting June 15, 2026. This reverses an earlier phase-out step that had already begun limiting new DSA campaign creation, giving advertisers more flexibility during the extended transition window.
This is a meaningful reversal. Google had been actively moving advertisers away from DSA campaigns toward AI Max. The fact that it is now reopening DSA creation — even temporarily — signals that advertiser feedback genuinely influenced this decision.
Why Google Made This Change
According to Google Ads Liaison Ginny Marvin, the extension came directly in response to advertiser feedback. She stated on LinkedIn that Google heard the feedback clearly: advertisers needed more time to transition from DSA to AI Max properly.
Importantly, Google also wanted to avoid disrupting advertisers’ Q4 planning and execution — recognizing that forcing a major campaign migration during the busiest commercial period of the year would create unnecessary risk for businesses relying on Search advertising during their highest-revenue season.
This decision reflects a broader pattern. Google has been pushing AI Max and Performance Max aggressively as default campaign structures throughout 2026. However, this delay suggests Google is balancing that push with practical advertiser readiness — rather than forcing migrations on a timeline that ignores real business cycles.
The Complete New Timeline
Here is exactly what to expect, month by month:
| Period | What Happens |
|---|---|
| June 2026 | DSA campaign creation returns; extended testing period begins |
| June 2026 – January 2027 | Extended voluntary migration and testing window |
| January 2027 | New DSA campaign creation ends |
| February 2027 | Automatic migration begins for any remaining DSA campaigns |
This gives advertisers nearly six additional months to evaluate AI Max thoroughly before being forced off DSA campaigns entirely.
What’s Not Changing — Read This Carefully
Here is an important detail that is easy to miss in the headline news: not everything about the DSA transition has been delayed.
Marvin specifically noted that automatically created assets and the campaign-level broad match setting will still transition to AI Max as scheduled in September 2026 — on the original timeline. Only the full DSA-to-AI-Max campaign migration itself has been pushed back.
This means advertisers should not assume nothing changes until February 2027. Some underlying campaign elements are still shifting on the original schedule, even while the larger migration is delayed.
AI Max Is Now the Default — Whether You Asked or Not
Alongside the delay announcement, Google revealed something that deserves equal attention: AI Max is now the default setting when creating new Search campaigns.
According to Marvin, Google’s internal testing showed that campaigns using AI Max achieved their first conversion faster during the first two weeks after launch, compared to traditional campaign setups.
This is significant for any advertiser setting up new Search campaigns going forward. Unless you actively change the default, new campaigns will launch with AI Max settings enabled. For experienced advertisers who prefer manual control over campaign structure, this means an extra step is now required to opt out of the default AI Max configuration.
What Advertisers Should Actually Do With This Extra Time
Google’s own guidance is direct: use the extended runway productively rather than simply delaying the inevitable.
Audit your existing DSA campaigns now. Understand exactly which campaigns rely on DSA, how they perform, and what historical data and learnings exist within them that you do not want to lose in a transition.
Run side-by-side experiments against AI Max. Rather than waiting until the deadline approaches, test AI Max for Search campaigns now, in parallel with your existing DSA campaigns. This lets you genuinely benchmark performance differences before being forced to commit.
Use voluntary migration tools before the deadline. Google has specifically highlighted manual upgrade tools that provide more oversight and control during the transition — while preserving historical reporting and campaign learnings that an automatic migration might not handle as carefully.
Choose manual migration over waiting for automatic transition. Manual upgrades give you the ability to review settings, preserve specific configurations, and control timing — advantages that disappear if you let the automatic February 2027 migration handle it for you by default.
Decide your default campaign settings deliberately. For any new Search campaigns you launch between now and the deadline, make a conscious choice about whether AI Max’s default setting fits your strategy, rather than letting it apply by default without review.
What This Means for Your Broader Search Strategy
This delay fits into a larger pattern across Google’s advertising ecosystem in 2026. AI-powered, automated campaign types — Performance Max, AI Max, and the AI-powered Shopping ads announced at GML 2026 — are clearly the direction Google is moving every advertiser toward.
However, this DSA delay demonstrates that the pace of that transition is not entirely rigid. Advertiser feedback, business cycle considerations, and practical testing needs can and do influence Google’s rollout timelines. This is worth remembering as other automated transitions continue across the Google Ads ecosystem — feedback channels genuinely matter.
For agencies and in-house marketing teams, the extended timeline also creates a strategic opportunity: building genuine comparative performance data between DSA and AI Max during this extended window gives you defensible insights for client reporting and internal decision-making, rather than migrating reactively under deadline pressure.
Bottom Line
Google’s decision to delay the DSA-to-AI-Max migration by five months — combined with restoring DSA campaign creation — gives advertisers meaningful breathing room to manage this transition properly. The new deadline of February 2027 replaces the original September 2026 timeline.
However, do not mistake this delay for a reason to ignore the transition entirely. Some elements are still moving on the original schedule, and AI Max is already the default for new campaigns. The smartest move is to use this extended window for genuine testing and informed decision-making — not procrastination.