Google expands AI Max controls with campaign-level search term exclusions
Advertisers can now exclude search themes at campaign level in AI Max, restoring a slice of the control lost to automation.
- Campaign-level exclusions roll out globally over the next two weeks
- Up to 100 excluded themes per campaign, applied before auction eligibility
- Exclusions are respected by both AI Max and Performance Max search inventory
- Early tester data suggests 8–14% reduction in irrelevant spend on broad themes
This is the trade I've been waiting for Google to make. The automation versus control tension was never really about wanting to micromanage, it's about being able to say 'not that' when the machine drifts into auctions that look efficient on platform metrics and terrible in the CRM. Exclusions before auction eligibility is the important detail: it means you're not just filtering reporting, you're changing what you bid on. My advice: don't rush to exclude everything that looks odd week one. Pull your last 90 days of search terms, cross reference against closed won revenue, and exclude the themes that produce leads your sales team actually rejects. Control is only valuable when it's informed by outcomes.
Questions people ask
How do campaign level search theme exclusions work in Google AI Max?
Campaign level search theme exclusions let advertisers exclude up to 100 themes before auction eligibility, changing which searches a campaign can bid on rather than just filtering reports. That is useful control, but I would use it to block demand that consistently produces rejected leads, not every search that looks unfamiliar.
Do AI Max search theme exclusions also apply to Performance Max?
The new exclusions are respected by both AI Max and Performance Max search inventory. I would still check the settings on each campaign rather than assume an exclusion added in one campaign protects the whole account.
How do I decide which search themes to exclude in AI Max?
Start with your last 90 days of search terms and compare the themes against qualified leads, sales rejection reasons and closed won revenue in your CRM. An expensive theme might still earn its place if it produces contracts, while cheap leads can hide wasted spend. I would exclude the themes with consistent evidence of poor outcomes, allowing for conversion lag before making the call.
Will AI Max search theme exclusions reduce wasted Google Ads spend?
Search theme exclusions can reduce irrelevant spend by preventing unwanted themes from reaching auction eligibility, but savings will depend on what you exclude. Early tester data suggests an 8 to 14 percent reduction in irrelevant spend on broad themes, which I would treat as an indication rather than a forecast for my account. What would convince me is a lower cost per qualified lead or contract without cutting commercially useful volume.
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