Yes. Google confirmed on September 4, 2026 that exact and phrase match keywords are now eligible to show text ads inside AI Mode, in a "small experiment." Until now, only AI Max, Performance Max and broad match with Smart Bidding could reach AI Mode. Tightly controlled Search campaigns no longer need automation to appear in Google’s AI answers.
What exactly did Google change?
Google opened AI Mode ad inventory to the two keyword match types that were previously shut out of it. On September 3, 2026, Anthony Higman, founder of the agency ADSQUIRE, posted on LinkedIn that he had seen exact and phrase match keywords triggering ads in AI Mode across multiple campaigns. The next day, Google Ads Liaison Ginny Marvin confirmed it to Search Engine Roundtable: "Exact and phrase match keywords are eligible to serve text ads in AI Mode. Note however that this is limited to cases where there is explicit and direct user intent."
That last clause matters. According to PPC Land’s September 6 write-up, Google has not defined "explicit and direct user intent" publicly, has not said which countries or accounts are in the test, and has not added any reporting that separates AI Mode impressions from regular Search results. So you may already be in it and not know.
Before this week, the only routes into AI Mode were AI Max for Search, Performance Max with text customization, broad match keywords paired with Smart Bidding, and Dynamic Search Ads, per PPC Land. Higman’s own summary on LinkedIn was blunter: "Before this the ONLY way to show in those places was through ai max, p-max or broad and smart bidding."
Why does this matter for a small business?
Because the main argument for handing Google more control just got weaker. For a year, the pitch to owners spending $500 to $10,000 a month was that AI Mode and AI Overviews were where search was going, and the only ticket in was automation. Google said at I/O in May 2026 that AI Mode had passed one billion monthly users, as PPC Land notes, so that pressure was real.
Now a plumber in Etobicoke running a clean exact match campaign on "emergency plumber near me" can, in principle, show up when someone asks AI Mode the same thing, without turning on AI Max and its search term matching and final URL expansion. The timing is not an accident. Google began converting legacy campaign-level broad match and Automatically Created Assets to AI Max on September 1, 2026, per Search Engine Land’s August 14 report, and Dynamic Search Ads follow in February 2027. Owners who resisted that migration just got a reason to keep resisting.
Will this raise my cost per lead?
Probably not immediately, but it can quietly change where your budget goes. Your exact match keywords now compete in an additional auction you cannot see in reporting. If AI Mode clicks convert differently from classic Search clicks, your blended cost per lead will drift and you will not be able to tell why. As PPC Land noted on September 6, Google Ads offers no separate AI Mode reporting yet.
There is also no opt-out mentioned in the confirmation. Google framed this only as a test that "recently kicked off," per Search Engine Roundtable. Treat it as something that may expand without a follow-up announcement.
How does this compare to the other ways into AI Mode?
Here is where each option stands after this week, based on Google’s confirmation and the PPC Land and Search Engine Roundtable reports of September 4 to 6, 2026.
| Route into AI Mode | Eligible before Sept 4, 2026 | Eligible now | Ad formats | Control you keep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exact / phrase match, any bidding | No | Yes, in test, "explicit and direct intent" only | Text ads | Full keyword and negative control |
| Broad match + Smart Bidding | Yes | Yes | Text ads | Negatives; Google picks queries |
| AI Max for Search | Yes | Yes | Text ads plus new formats such as Highlighted Answers | Brand inclusions/exclusions, URL controls |
| Performance Max with text customization | Yes | Yes | Text and other formats | Least; asset-group level |
| Dynamic Search Ads | Yes | Yes until migration to AI Max in Feb 2027 | Text ads | Page feeds, negatives |
One caveat from PPC Land: the newer AI Mode formats, including Highlighted Answers, remain exclusive to the automated products. Exact match gets you into the room, not every seat.
Is this a reason to move back to exact match?
Not by itself, but it removes a reason to leave it. Our ex-Googler founder’s view is that match type should follow your data, not Google’s roadmap. With enough conversions for Smart Bidding, broad match plus tight negatives finds queries you would never bid on. In a lean local account with a few hundred clicks a month, exact and phrase match keep your money on queries that already convert, and that structure is no longer locked out of AI Mode.
What we would not do is restructure a working account on the strength of a test that Google called small, that has no reporting, and that could be withdrawn.
What to do this week
- Pull your search terms report for the last seven days and look for longer, question-shaped queries hitting exact and phrase match keywords. Conversational phrasing is the clearest fingerprint of AI Mode traffic while Google gives us no segment for it.
- Check that your top exact match keywords have responsive search ads with headlines that answer a question outright. AI Mode surfaces ads next to a written answer, so "24/7 furnace repair, Toronto, same-day" beats "Best HVAC company."
- If you were planning to convert campaigns to AI Max purely to get into AI Mode, pause that decision for 30 days and let this test play out. If you were converting for the extra conversions Google claims, that reason still stands: Google’s April 15, 2026 announcement cites an average of 7% more conversions or conversion value at similar CPA or ROAS with the full AI Max feature set.
- Set a cost per lead alert on your Search campaigns. Any move of more than 15 to 20% without a change on your side is worth investigating for new AI Mode exposure.
Frequently asked questions
Do exact match keywords show ads in Google AI Mode?
Yes, as of a test Google confirmed on September 4, 2026. Google Ads Liaison Ginny Marvin said exact and phrase match keywords are eligible to serve text ads in AI Mode, limited to searches with "explicit and direct user intent." Before this, only AI Max, Performance Max, broad match with Smart Bidding and Dynamic Search Ads could appear there.
Can I see AI Mode performance separately in Google Ads?
No. As of September 6, 2026, Google Ads has no report or segment that separates AI Mode impressions and clicks from standard Search results, according to PPC Land. The best proxy is your search terms report, where longer, conversational queries are the most likely sign that your ads are serving in AI Mode.
Do I still need AI Max to appear in AI Mode?
Not for basic text ads, if your account is in the test. You still need AI Max or Performance Max for the newer AI Mode formats such as Highlighted Answers, which PPC Land reports remain exclusive to the automated products. AI Max also brings search term matching and final URL expansion, which are separate decisions from AI Mode placement.
Can I opt out of showing ads in AI Mode?
Google has not announced an opt-out for this test. The September 4, 2026 confirmation described it only as a small experiment that recently started. If AI Mode traffic converts poorly for you, the practical levers today are negatives for conversational query patterns and bid adjustments, not a placement toggle.
Want to know whether your Search campaigns are already serving in AI Mode, and what it is doing to your cost per lead? Request a free 48-hour Google Ads audit from our Toronto team.
Sources: Search Engine Roundtable, September 4, 2026; PPC Land, September 6, 2026; Search Engine Land, August 14, 2026; Google Ads & Commerce Blog, April 15, 2026.