This week’s digital marketing news centers on one theme: automation. Google and Microsoft are both handing more control to AI, whether advertisers ask for it or not.
Google started auto-migrating campaign-level Broad Match and legacy Automatically Created Assets campaigns to AI Max on September 1, 2026. Microsoft launched its own AI Max feature too. Both platforms now default new Search campaigns to AI Max.
This shift matters. Marketers lose some manual control over campaign structure. The platforms make more decisions automatically, and that changes how you plan.
A new Digital Advertising Trends Report backs this up. It found that 46% of marketers use AI to scale creative work. A third apply AI across creative, media, and measurement. Still, many marketers believe wasted ad budget adds up to 30%.
Speed remains a challenge too. 41% of marketers report that campaign launches still take three to four weeks. Only 3.6% can launch a campaign in under a week.
Google Shifts Ad Budgets Toward Demand Gen
Google is moving display campaigns toward demand gen. The company lowered its recommended starting budget for the format. It dropped from roughly 20 times target CPA to just 10 times.
This change makes Demand Gen more accessible to smaller advertisers. Many previously couldn’t justify the spend.
Regulators Target Misleading Ad Claims
Regulators are paying closer attention too. The FTC recently targeted several digital marketing firms over misleading ad-targeting claims. These firms falsely claimed they could target ads using smart-device conversations. Multiple companies agreed to pay combined settlements.
What This Update Means for Your Campaigns
Check which of your campaigns Google auto-migrated to AI Max. Review your brand inclusion and exclusion lists carefully—don’t assume they transferred the way you wanted.
Have you skipped Demand Gen because of budget minimums? Test it now, since entry costs dropped significantly.