Google Ads AI Max Lacks Full DSA Control, but Adds URL Rule Support
Check the new URL rule support in AI Max and adjust your campaign structures accordingly.
Patch your existing DSA URL rules to use AI Max supported formats, test read‑only rules, and plan migration to AI Max by next quarter.
Summary
Google Ads is shifting away from legacy Dynamic Search Ads (DSA) toward its AI Max platform, but advertisers have raised concerns that AI Max does not yet match DSA's granular URL‑based targeting. In a LinkedIn discussion, Gabriele Benedetti highlighted that DSA allowed campaigns to be structured around site architecture using categories, URL paths and page rules. Google’s response clarified that AI Max now supports URL rules and combinations, page feeds with custom labels, URL inclusions at the ad‑group level and exclusions at the campaign level. However, it still lacks support for “page contains” conditions, and any unsupported rules will remain read‑only, carrying over from DSA but not editable. Google plans to expand controls later this year, adding content and title‑based exclusions at the account level, which would complement its existing inventory‑aware out‑of‑stock exclusions. For now, AI Max is evolving but is not a full replacement for DSA when granular control is required.
Key changes
- AI Max now supports URL rules and combinations
- AI Max supports page feeds with custom labels
- AI Max allows URL inclusions at ad‑group level
- AI Max allows URL exclusions at campaign level
- Unsupported “page contains” conditions remain read‑only
- Google plans account‑level content and title‑based exclusions later this year