On 1 July 2026, the following came into force: new Google Ads terms. There was no notification when I logged in. Nor was there a box to tick. Your account simply came to be governed by a different legal text (Google Ads Help).
And that text contains something that’s worth reading carefully: you authorise Google to use automated functions to format, select or generate segments, adverts and landing pages on your behalf. In other words, AI can write a headline that you never wrote yourself. Furthermore, it can send traffic to a page that you didn’t choose.
For an agency like Vandelay, this isn’t just a technicality. It changes who decides what is published under your brand name. And, above all, it makes it very clear who is responsible if something goes wrong.
What exactly do the new Google Ads terms say?
Google announced the update on its help centre and applied it automatically to all accounts. No action was required on the part of advertisers. The clause that has sparked the debate, as reported by Search Engine Land On 2 June 2026, the original version reads as follows:
«The Customer authorises Google and its affiliates to serve adverts, including through the use of automated programme features to format, select or generate targets, adverts or destinations on the Customer’s behalf.»
Translated: The customer authorises Google and its subsidiaries to display adverts, including through automated functions that format, select or generate targeting, adverts or landing pages on the customer’s behalf.
Previously, the text referred to tools that Google could offer and which the advertiser could enable or disable. Now, however, automation is described as the default setting. On paper, it seems like a minor distinction. In practice, it isn’t.
The other changes that hardly anyone has read
The AI clause has been making the headlines, but it’s not the only change. According to Search Engine Land’s summary, the update also includes:
- A more detailed explanation of how the data that you enter in the various features of Google Ads.
- The clarification that what you write in conversational experiences and similar tools can be used by Google systems.
- New provisions on URLs and accounts that you authorise Google to track to set up campaigns automatically.
- Changes by jurisdiction: arbitration, operational fees by country and, in Brazil, the appointment of Google BR as the entity responsible for monetising the inventory.
That third point is worth bearing in mind. If Google crawls your website to set up ad campaigns, it’s best to ensure your website clearly states exactly what you’re selling. An old piece of text or a forgotten landing page could end up being used in an advert.
What’s really changing in your account (and what isn’t)
Let’s be honest: technically, almost nothing is changing today. Performance Max, Demand Gen and Advantage campaigns have been making headlines, selecting ad placements and expanding audiences for years. What Google Ads’ new terms do is set out in writing an authorisation that used to be hidden in the small print of each feature.
What does change, however, is the framework of responsibility. The text emphasises that the advertiser must review, approve, edit or remove advertising campaigns and materials, including those generated by Google’s AI. Automation therefore does not reduce your liability. It increases it.
If an automatically generated advert promises something that your product does not deliver, the problem lies with you. If that promise also borders on misleading advertising, the problem lies with you too. And this is where another piece of the European regulatory jigsaw comes in: the transparency obligations under the EU AI Act, Article 50 of which will come into force on 2 August 2026.
How to audit your campaigns following the new Google Ads terms and conditions
You cannot reject the terms. However, you can do limit the extent of automation within each campaign. These are the four settings we review as soon as we open an account.
1. Customisation of automatically generated text and resources
Google allows its system to generate titles and descriptions based on the content of your landing page. The feature is now called text customisation. Check what it’s creating and compare it with your brand guidelines. If it doesn’t fit, disable it.
2. Expansion of the final URL
With this option enabled, Google may replace your destination URL with one it considers more relevant. In Performance Max, this can be disabled via ‘Additional settings’ within the campaign itself (official documentation). You can also exclude just a few URLs, which is usually the most sensible middle ground.
3. Audience exclusions
Automated campaigns tend to expand. That’s why it’s a good idea to check that your opt-out lists are still active and correctly configured. This applies particularly to lists of current customers and suppression lists.
4. Regular review of resources
Download the asset report for your Performance Max and Demand Gen campaigns. See which headlines and images are being served most frequently. Then, flag the ones you haven’t approved. Doing this every fortnight helps you avoid most surprises.
What the critics are saying
Not everyone in the sector sees the change as a mere formality. Anthony Higman, founder of AdSQUIRE, argues in comments reported by Search Engine Land that the update undermines two pillars of Google Ads: relevance and control. His argument is structural. The previous terms, he says, offered more explicit options for enabling or disabling automation.
Common Thread Collective, an agency that works with high-volume e-commerce brands, has reached a a similar read, but more serene: This is not a crisis; it is a call for good governance. We endorse that approach. There is no need to panic, but neither should we turn a blind eye.
The context: advertising is becoming agent-based
This movement does not take place in a vacuum. In Google Marketing Live 2026 The company launched Ask Advisor and Conversational Discovery Ads. Shortly afterwards, it confirmed the migration of dynamic search campaigns to AI Max for Search, scheduled for September 2026. And the entire sector is moving towards the agentic marketing, where AI agents are responsible for running the campaign.
On that map, the new Google Ads terms are the missing legal piece of the jigsaw. First came the technology. Then came the contract that underpins it.
Frequently asked questions about the new Google Ads terms and conditions
Do I have to accept the new Google Ads terms manually?
No. Google applied them automatically to all accounts on 1 July 2026, without any notice or confirmation step. They have applied to your account since that date, whatever you do.
Can I turn off AI-generated adverts?
You can limit the scope of automation on a campaign-by-campaign basis. Text personalisation and final URL expansion are disabled in the settings for Performance Max and other campaign types. However, term authorisation still applies across the entire account.
Who is liable if an AI-generated advert causes a problem?
The advertiser. The terms expressly state that the responsibility for reviewing, approving, editing or removing campaigns and assets — including those generated automatically — lies with the client.
Does this affect Meta Ads, TikTok or LinkedIn?
No. The update applies only to Google Ads accounts. It does not affect Google Workspace or Cloud Identity either. Other platforms have their own terms and conditions regarding automation and AI-generated content.
What we’ve been up to at Vandelay over the past few weeks
We have launched a governance review across all the accounts we manage. It consists of three elements, none of which are particularly glamorous.
Firstly, we’ll take stock of which decisions we’ve delegated to the machine and which we continue to make ourselves. Secondly, we’ll set up a fortnightly review of automatically generated content, carried out by two pairs of human eyes. Thirdly, we’ll set out in writing which messages a brand must not convey, so that we can spot them quickly if they do appear.
It may sound bureaucratic. We understand that. But when the algorithm writes, selects and publishes, the team’s role shifts from producing content to supervising it. That is the real change brought about by the new Google Ads terms and conditions, and it goes far beyond a single clause.
Would you like us to go through with you what AI is generating in your campaigns? At Vandelay, we Google Ads audits and management based on sound judgement and data. Drop us a line and we’ll look into it together.
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