Google has started serving regular Search campaigns with exact and phrase match keywords in AI Mode. We spotted this change and confirmed it across multiple campaigns. A Google Ads Liaison, confirmed it is a small experiment that recently kicked off. The caveat is significant. Eligibility is limited to searches where Google identifies explicit and direct user intent.
This is a departure from how AI Mode advertising worked before. Until now, the only way to appear in AI Mode was through AI Max, Performance Max, or broad match with smart bidding. Traditional Search campaigns with restrictive match types were locked out. Now they have a path in, but only when the user’s query maps directly to the advertiser’s keywords. For broader, more conversational queries, Google still relies on AI Max and Performance Max to capture that intent and serve newer ad formats like Highlighted Answers.
What This Means for Law Firms
This change gives law firms a way to reach AI Mode users without giving up keyword control. If your firm runs exact and phrase match campaigns for high intent terms like “personal injury lawyer Philadelphia” or “immigration attorney near me,” those ads may now appear in AI Mode when the query shows clear, direct intent. That is a meaningful shift for firms that have been reluctant to adopt AI Max because it would loosen their targeting.
The limitation is the part that requires planning. You do not get blanket access to AI Mode. You get access when Google decides the query is explicit and direct. That is a judgment call made by Google’s systems, and Google has not published a clear definition of what qualifies. Firms should expect inconsistent visibility and should not build their entire AI Mode strategy around this experiment.
The bigger picture matters too. AI Max and Performance Max remain the primary products designed for AI Mode. They provide access to newer ad formats and are built to handle conversational queries that traditional Search campaigns cannot reach. If your firm wants full coverage in AI Mode, you still need to consider those campaign types. This experiment is a bridge for high intent queries, not a replacement for the broader AI advertising strategy.
Our Take
We posted about this on X because it is a big deal for anyone managing Search campaigns. You can see our post here: https://x.com/AnthonyHigman/status/2095942392243261949?s=20
We think this is more than a small experiment. The fact that a Google Liaison did not call it a “small test” in her LinkedIn response is telling. Google has been pushing advertisers toward AI Max for months. This change opens a door back to traditional Search campaigns. That door may be narrow right now, but it is open.
The caveat is the key. “Explicit and direct user intent” is doing a lot of work in that sentence. Google has not defined it. In practice, it likely means queries that are close to the keyword and carry obvious commercial intent. A user who types “divorce lawyer near me” probably qualifies. A user who types “what should I do if my spouse wants a divorce” probably does not. That distinction matters for law firms because both types of queries exist in the legal vertical, and they require different campaign strategies.
We also want to be clear about what this does not change. AI Max is still the recommended path for AI Mode. Performance Max still gets access to Highlighted Answers. If your firm is already running those campaign types, this experiment does not make them obsolete. It gives you another option for a specific slice of queries.
What ADSQUIRE Is Doing
We are testing this behavior across our client accounts and documenting what we see. That means:
- Monitoring AI Mode placements for exact and phrase match campaigns
- Tracking whether AI Mode traffic appears as its own network row or folds into Search reporting
- Comparing performance between traditional Search campaigns and AI Max campaigns in AI Mode
- Reviewing search terms to identify which queries trigger AI Mode eligibility
- Documenting the types of queries that qualify as explicit and direct intent in the legal vertical
- Advising clients on whether to adjust their campaign structure based on what we learn
- Watching for Google to expand or formalize the experiment
- Keeping clients informed as the test evolves
For law firms, the objective is not to chase every experiment. It is to understand which changes affect your campaigns and to adjust based on data rather than speculation.
Conclusion
Google is testing pure Search campaigns in AI Mode for queries with explicit and direct user intent. Exact and phrase match keywords can now serve text ads in AI Mode, but only when Google determines the query is clear and direct. AI Max and Performance Max remain the primary products for conversational intent and newer ad formats.
The experiment is small for now. It could expand. It could disappear. We will continue testing and documenting what we see. For law firms, the key takeaway is that you may not need AI Max to get some AI Mode exposure. But you should not dismantle your AI Max strategy based on a limited test. Watch the data. Adjust when the pattern is clear.
