Google introduces new AI Max campaign reporting metrics

Google this month rolled out new reporting capabilities for Search AI Max campaigns, adding two new metrics that provide deeper insight into how artificial intelligence expands campaign reach beyond traditional keyword targeting.

The new reporting features appear at the all keywords level within Google Ads accounts. Advertisers can now access "AI Max expanded matches," which shows traffic generated from broad match keywords that AI Max creates based on advertiser-provided keywords. The second metric, "AI Max expanded landing pages," reveals traffic from search queries that matched due to landing pages or assets, operating independently of keyword targeting.

"At the all keywords level, if you scroll down, you can now see two key metrics," according to Aleksejus Podpruginas, Senior Google Ads Campaigns Specialist at Teleperformance. "These two metrics provide deeper insights into how Google's AI is leveraging your existing assets to generate traffic, giving you a clearer picture of your overall performance."

Technical implementation details

The reporting enhancement builds upon existing AI Max functionality that Google has been expanding throughout 2025. Search AI Max campaigns utilize machine learning algorithms to automatically generate keyword variations and identify relevant landing pages within advertiser accounts.

"AI MAX expanded matches: This shows the total traffic from broad match keywords created by AI Max for Search campaigns, based on the keywords you've added," Podpruginas explained in his LinkedIn post documenting the feature discovery.

The system operates by analyzing both keyword inputs and website content to identify additional targeting opportunities. When users perform searches that align with an advertiser's landing page content or assets, the AI Max system can serve ads even when those search terms fall outside the manually configured keyword list.

The expanded landing pages metric specifically tracks this behavior. "AI MAX expanded landing pages: This reveals the total traffic from search queries that matched because of your landing pages or assets, outside of your keywords," according to the documentation.

Industry context and transparency concerns

This reporting enhancement addresses ongoing concerns about automated campaign transparency that have dominated discussions within the pay-per-click marketing community. Google's AI Max features have faced scrutiny from industry professionals worried about performance outcomes and limited visibility into AI-driven targeting decisions.

Previous reporting capabilities allowed advertisers to see which search terms AI Max generated and the landing pages users accessed, but the new metrics provide quantitative data about traffic volume attribution. The distinction between AI-generated and advertiser-controlled traffic becomes measurable through this reporting structure.

Performance Max campaigns have become central to Google's advertising strategy, with over one million advertisers utilizing automated campaign formats across Google's advertising network. The enhanced search term visibility represents another development in Google's effort to balance automation efficiency with advertiser control requirements.

The timing coincides with broader changes across Google's advertising platform. Google completed major Performance Max feature rollouts in August 2025, including campaign-level negative keyword lists and enhanced demographic targeting capabilities. These updates addressed persistent requests for greater control within automated campaigns.

Implementation across campaign management tools

Google has been systematically integrating AI Max capabilities across its campaign management infrastructure. Google Ads Editor version 2.10, released in July 2025, introduced AI Max features for Search campaigns alongside enhanced Performance Max controls.

The API integration supports programmatic access to these metrics. Google Ads API version 21 includes specialized reporting views for AI Max campaigns, with the ai_max_search_term_ad_combination_view providing search term data specifically for AI Max functionality.

Technical documentation reveals that AI Max features operate exclusively when enabled by advertisers through API field configuration. The automation suite analyzes search patterns and user behavior data to optimize campaign performance across multiple dimensions simultaneously.

Performance measurement considerations

The new metrics enable advertisers to evaluate AI Max effectiveness against traditional keyword targeting approaches. Campaign managers can now segment performance between advertiser-controlled and AI-generated traffic sources within their reporting workflows.

Early testing results from industry professionals suggest mixed outcomes for AI Max implementations. While Google promotes conversion improvements for exact match campaigns, independent analysis has documented concerning patterns including conversion rates approaching zero across thousands of AI-generated search terms.

The Search Partner Network context adds complexity to performance evaluation. Industry research indicates that Search Partner Network placements deliver 37 percent lower return on advertisement spend compared to Google Search proper, according to analysis by Intelligency Group.

Marketing community implications

For digital marketing professionals managing large-scale advertising operations, these reporting enhancements provide analytical capabilities that address transparency concerns while maintaining automated optimization benefits. Campaign managers can now identify which traffic sources drive conversions and optimize strategies accordingly.

The development reflects Google's response to advertiser feedback about automated campaign visibility. Throughout 2025, Google implemented systematic improvements to address "black box" concerns while expanding AI-powered features across the advertising platform.

Marketing teams utilizing Search campaigns can leverage these metrics for strategic planning and client reporting purposes. The ability to distinguish between traditional keyword performance and AI-generated traffic enables more informed budget allocation decisions across campaign portfolios.

Broader automation strategy

The AI Max reporting enhancement fits within Google's comprehensive automation expansion across advertising campaign management. Recent developments include Web to App Connect expansion across YouTube, Hotel, Performance Max and Demand Gen campaigns, demonstrating continued investment in cross-platform optimization capabilities.

Google launched a podcast series "Google Ads Decoded" in August 2025 featuring product managers discussing AI Max implementation and market implications. The series aims to provide practical insights for marketers navigating rapid changes in automated campaign management.

The reporting capabilities complement other transparency initiatives including full Search Partner Network placement reporting that became available for Search, Shopping, and App campaigns. These combined efforts address advertiser concerns about visibility into automated optimization decisions.

Technical specifications and access

Advertisers can access the new metrics by navigating to the Keywords tab within their Google Ads accounts and scrolling to the bottom section. The metrics appear alongside existing keyword performance data, enabling direct comparison between different traffic sources.

The reporting system maintains compatibility with existing campaign analysis workflows while adding granular visibility into AI-driven optimization results. Campaign managers can export this data through standard Google Ads reporting interfaces for external analysis and client reporting purposes.

Google indicates that these metrics will be available across all Search AI Max campaigns, with no additional configuration required beyond standard AI Max activation settings. The feature rollout appears to be complete across advertiser accounts as of September 8, 2025.

Timeline

• April 30, 2025: Google announces major transparency boost for Performance Max campaigns with channel-level performance data and enhanced reporting
• July 2, 2025: Google introduces AI Max match type reporting but industry experts raise concerns about Search Partner Network expansion
• July 8, 2025: Google releases Ads Editor 2.10 with AI Max features and enhanced targeting controls
• August 6, 2025: Google Ads API version 21 launches with AI Max integration and campaign transparency tools
• August 7, 2025: Google concludes 2025 Performance Max feature rollouts with enhanced controls and reporting capabilities
• August 29, 2025: Google launches "Google Ads Decoded" podcast series with AI Max and channel reporting updates
• September 5, 2025: Google expands Web to App Connect across YouTube, Performance Max campaigns
• September 8, 2025: Google introduces AI Max expanded matches and landing pages reporting metrics

Summary

Who: Google announced the updates, affecting advertisers using Search AI Max campaigns across Google Ads accounts. Aleksejus Podpruginas from Teleperformance first documented the feature availability.

What: Google introduced two new reporting metrics for AI Max campaigns: "AI Max expanded matches" showing traffic from AI-generated broad match keywords, and "AI Max expanded landing pages" revealing traffic from search queries matching landing pages or assets outside keyword targeting.

When: The reporting enhancement was spotted and announced on September 8, 2025, appearing at the all keywords level within Google Ads accounts.

Where: The metrics are accessible within the Google Ads interface at the Keywords tab, displayed at the all keywords level when users scroll down to view comprehensive keyword performance data.

Why: The update addresses transparency concerns about automated campaign performance by providing quantitative visibility into how AI Max leverages existing assets to generate incremental traffic beyond traditional keyword targeting approaches.