Observed Signal · Apr 28, 2026 · Product Launch · Source: https://marketingtechnews.net/feed/ · Impact: 4/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Microsoft pilots AI Max across Bing and Copilot
Microsoft Advertising is preparing an open pilot of AI Max for Search campaigns in May 2026 and is rolling out a set of advertising, analytics, and commerce features across Bing, Copilot Search, and Copilot Answers. AI Max uses AI to expand query matching, personalise creative assets and route URLs for AI-driven search surfaces; advertisers must opt in and will have controls such as brand/term exclusions and messaging constraints. Microsoft is expanding Microsoft Clarity’s AI Visibility reporting, adding Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP)-ready product feeds in Microsoft Merchant Center and integrating Shopify Catalog into Copilot. Copilot Checkout is being extended to more than 500,000 merchants and mobile apps, Brand Agents are being broadened to WooCommerce, Offer Highlights will appear in Copilot (Best Buy an early adopter), and an Audience generation tool is entering a closed pilot in the US and Canada.
A major platform (Microsoft) is rolling out AI-driven search advertising and commerce features that change how advertisers target, measure and supply product data across Bing and Copilot; this affects search ad formats, measurement, merchant integrations and AI-driven audience targeting.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Microsoft Advertising is preparing an open pilot of AI Max for Search campaigns in May 2026.
- AI Max offers expanded query matching, asset personalisation and URL routing for AI-powered search surfaces; advertisers must opt in and receive controls (brand inclusions/exclusions, term exclusions, messaging constraints).
- Microsoft is expanding Microsoft Clarity’s AI Visibility to show AI bot activity, citations and which pages influence AI responses.
- Microsoft Merchant Center now supports Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP)-ready feeds and integrates Shopify Catalog via a commerce API for real-time product data in Copilot.
- Copilot Checkout catalogue data is being expanded to more than 500,000 merchants and mobile apps; Brand Agents are extended to WooCommerce; Offer Highlights in Copilot have Best Buy as an early adopter; Audience generation enters a closed pilot in the US and Canada.
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Microsoft updates ads for AI-driven discovery
Microsoft announced a set of ad-platform updates designed to surface advertisers inside AI-driven discovery and transactions across Copilot and Bing. Key launches include AI Max for Search campaigns to expand query matching and personalize delivery, Offer Highlights to surface selling points inside AI conversations, AI Visibility measurement in Microsoft Clarity, support for the Universal Commerce Protocol in Merchant Center, Copilot Checkout enhancements for in-conversation purchases, and an AI-powered audience generation tool that builds targeting from plain-language descriptions. The changes prioritize selection inside conversational AI experiences over traditional rankings and clicks, and touch measurement, product feed structure, targeting and embedded commerce workflows.
Google Announces New AI Max Features for Search Ads
Google expanded its AI Max advertising product, extending it beyond search into shopping and travel and adding new advertiser controls. The update, announced the week of April 30, 2026 (after Alphabet reported Q1 revenue of $110 billion, up 22% year-on-year), introduces AI Brief — a natural-language control plane for describing messaging, targeting and audience constraints — plus Final URL Expansion with text-disclaimer controls and integration with Merchant Center product feeds. Google positions AI Max as a middle ground between fully automated Performance Max and manual campaign management, shifting advertiser work upstream from keyword lists and bid mechanics to higher-level objectives, data signals, creative guardrails and intent prompts. Google emphasizes these features as optional steering tools, while industry voices note ongoing concerns about control and transparency. Epiminds founder Elias Malm noted the trend toward responsive, asset-driven ad formats.
Windows 11 Search Upgrade, Copilot Gets File Access
Microsoft announced two upcoming updates for Windows 11: an enhanced search feature and expanded Copilot capabilities. The new search allows users to directly adjust settings like dark mode, take screenshots, and change volume from the search bar, with future ability to compose and send messages. Copilot's 'Hybrid Intelligence' feature, introduced at a Microsoft event, enables the AI to access local files and perform actions across the OS, such as finding, renaming, zipping documents, and attaching them to emails. Jacob Andreou, EVP of Copilot, demonstrated this in a tax return example. The rollout will be gradual, requiring user permission for file access. The search upgrade is expected later this year, with no exact date specified.
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