Google has begun a limited experiment that allows traditional Search campaigns using exact and phrase match keywords to serve text ads inside its AI Mode. That change gives advertisers who rely on tight keyword control a potential way to reach AI-enhanced search results without switching their campaigns to Google’s automated AI Max or Performance Max products — but only under narrowly defined conditions.

What happened

Google Ads Liaison Ginny Marvin confirmed the company started a “small experiment” enabling exact and phrase match keywords to trigger text ads in AI Mode when the system identifies “explicit and direct user intent.” The behavior was first reported by Anthony Higman, founder of AdSquire, who observed the change across multiple campaigns and tests.

Why advertisers should care

If this experiment expands, it could let advertisers preserve keyword-level targeting and measurement while gaining incremental visibility in AI Mode. That matters because many teams keep exact and phrase match to control spend, protect brand terms, and tie performance to specific queries — constraints that can be harder to enforce in fully automated campaign types.

Important limits

The eligibility is intentionally narrow. Google says exact and phrase match keywords will appear in AI Mode only for queries where intent is clear and direct; the test does not open AI Mode to unrestricted keyword coverage. Crucially, the experiment applies to standard text ads linked to those match types rather than the fuller set of AI-native formats available through Performance Max or AI Max (for example, Highlighted Answers and other richer AI-driven placements).

Put simply: this is a targeted bridge, not a wholesale integration. Performance Max and AI Max remain positioned as the channels for broader, conversational searches and for the newer AI Mode formats that go beyond text ads.

Practical steps for advertisers

Treat the test as a monitoring opportunity rather than a trigger to restructure campaigns. Specific actions to take now:

  • Check Search Terms and placement reports for signs of AI Mode impressions and clicks tied to exact or phrase matches.
  • Segment performance at the query level to compare metrics where AI Mode appears versus conventional Search results.
  • Watch attribution and reporting patterns closely; traffic from AI Mode may surface differently in your reports.
  • If you rely on access to AI-native ad formats, plan to keep Performance Max or AI Max in your mix — this test does not replace those products.

What to watch next

Google hasn’t disclosed the experiment’s scale or whether it will roll out permanently. Marketers should monitor account-level changes, maintain tight query-level reporting, and be prepared to test outcomes before making structural campaign decisions. The key questions to follow are whether the test expands to more queries, how Google defines “explicit and direct” intent in practice, and whether text-ad exposure in AI Mode materially shifts performance or attribution for restrictive match campaigns.

For now, advertisers with strict keyword strategies gain a potential, narrowly scoped path into AI Mode — an incremental option that preserves control but does not grant access to the full suite of AI-native inventory. Watch for official updates and validate any observed AI Mode traffic before changing campaign strategy.