Google Rolls Out AI Max for In-App Ads

Google has started actively promoting its AI Max feature directly inside the Google Ads platform, marking a notable shift in how the company introduces and encourages the use of its own tools. Instead of relying solely on product announcements or help centre updates, Google is now placing promotional messages within the campaign settings area itself, where advertisers manage and adjust their Search campaigns.

These messages appear when users open their campaign settings during everyday tasks such as performance reviews, optimisation checks, or account updates. This means advertisers encounter the promotion while already focused on improving their campaigns, making the suggestion to try AI Max feel closely tied to their workflow rather than a separate product update.

In effect, Google is using its own advertising platform to market one of its newest AI-driven features. This is a relatively rare move and highlights a more assertive approach to encouraging adoption. Rather than waiting for advertisers to explore AI Max on their own, Google is now putting the tool directly in front of users at moments when they are making strategic decisions about their campaigns.

AI Max is designed to enhance Search campaigns using artificial intelligence, helping advertisers improve targeting and performance through automation. By promoting the feature within the settings interface, Google is signalling that it sees AI Max as an important part of the future of paid search advertising, rather than just another optional experiment.

The placement of these in-app messages suggests that Google wants to move beyond passive rollouts and into active promotion. This approach reflects a broader trend in which the company is increasingly integrating AI tools into its core advertising products and encouraging advertisers to rely more heavily on automated solutions.

For advertisers, this raises questions about how far Google will go in embedding promotional content within the management interface. Some may welcome the guidance and see it as a helpful reminder of new features that could improve campaign performance. Others may feel uncomfortable with marketing messages appearing in an area traditionally reserved for campaign control and data analysis.

Industry experts will be paying close attention to whether this strategy is expanded to other tools within Google Ads. If similar prompts begin appearing for additional AI-driven features, it could signal a long-term shift in how Google communicates product updates and drives adoption from within the platform itself.

The first public report of this change came from Julie Bacchini, president and founder of Neptune Moon, who noticed the notification while working inside a campaign settings panel. She shared her observation on LinkedIn, remarking that it felt as though Google Ads was effectively running an advertisement for AI Max inside its own system.

Her post sparked discussion among digital marketers, many of whom were surprised to see promotional messaging embedded so directly into their daily working environment. The reaction highlights a growing awareness of how Google is blending product development with in-platform promotion.

This development also reflects the wider direction of digital advertising, where automation and AI are becoming central to campaign management. Google’s decision to push AI Max in this way suggests it is keen to normalise the use of artificial intelligence tools and position them as a standard part of Search advertising, rather than an advanced or experimental option.

Ultimately, Google’s in-app promotion of AI Max demonstrates a stronger commitment to driving AI adoption among advertisers. Whether this strategy proves effective will depend on how users respond to these prompts and whether they see tangible benefits from the feature.

As Google continues to expand its AI capabilities, advertisers should expect to see more changes that blend product guidance with everyday campaign management. This latest move may be an early sign of a future where new tools are not only launched but actively promoted from within the platforms where they are meant to be used.