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The Role of AI in Google Ads: What’s Real and What’s Not

ai-in-google-ads

AI is changing how Google Ads works — from campaign creation to real-time bidding. But while automation and machine learning offer exciting opportunities, they also come with confusion and hype.

So what’s real? What actually drives performance? And how should businesses — whether based in NZ, AU, or scaling globally — adapt to AI-driven Google Ads without losing control?

This blog cuts through the noise and focuses on what advertisers need to know to make smart, strategic decisions.

  • Smart Bidding (Target CPA, Target ROAS, Maximise Conversions)
  • Responsive Search Ads and Performance Max asset mixing
  • Dynamic keyword insertion and automated extensions
  • Budget pacing and auction-time bidding adjustments
  • Search term predictions and creative effectiveness scoring

1. Identify Patterns Faster Than Humans
AI spots correlations in device, time, audience and intent that help optimise in real time.

2. Automate Volume-Based Decisions
Set performance targets and let the system allocate spend dynamically.

3. Serve the Right Message to the Right User
With multiple ad assets, AI adjusts combinations to boost CTR and conversion rate.

  • Writing great copy, offers, and creative
  • Feeding in clean conversion and offline data
  • Building proper audience signals and exclusions
  • Deciding where, when and if to scale campaigns
  • Auditing wasted spend and understanding lifetime value

A multinational consultancy partnered with our NZ team to rebuild their ad account using AI-powered Smart Bidding and RSAs. But the real shift came from restructuring campaigns by service line and feeding in CRM-qualified conversions — boosting ROAS by 42% within 60 days.

  • Bad offers
  • Irrelevant landing pages
  • Poor creative or copywriting
  • Low-value conversion goals
  • Audience mismatch

AI is powerful, but it’s not a replacement for strategy.

The brands succeeding with Google Ads today are the ones blending automation with marketing intelligence. That means taking ownership of data, creative, audience, and measurement — while letting AI handle the scale and speed.

Metrics Media supports global advertisers — with teams in NZ and AU — in navigating Google Ads automation with a clear, performance-led strategy.