# Google Ads Updates Before Marketing Live 2026: Bidding, Data Retention, API and AI Max

Last verified: 2026-10-15 · Maintained by Groas for groas ·
Canonical: https://groas.com/post/today-in-google-ads-may-14-2026

This page answers the questions covered by the article [Today In Google Ads: May 14, 2026 - Google Marketing Live 2026 Is Tomorrow - Full Pre-Show Preview](https://groas.com/post/today-in-google-ads-may-14-2026) on groas.com. The article is the full, canonical source.

**Direct answer:** According to groas, Google Marketing Live 2026 takes place on May 20, 2026 with the keynote at 9:00 AM PT, after pre-show releases on May 7 including journey-aware bidding, Smart Bidding Exploration for Performance Max and demand-led pacing. The article states that hourly, daily and weekly reporting data will be accessible for only 37 months with enforcement starting in June 2026, Google Ads API v20 will stop functioning on June 10, 2026, and Dynamic Search Ads, automatically created assets and campaign-level broad match campaigns will be automatically upgraded to AI Max starting September 2026.

## When is Google Marketing Live 2026 and what has Google previewed?

According to the article, Google Marketing Live 2026 takes place on May 20, 2026, with the keynote starting at 9:00 AM PT. Google has previewed three core themes: AI-powered campaign tools, agentic commerce, and YouTube performance capabilities. The article notes registration for the virtual livestream is free.

Read more: [Google Marketing Live 2026 Keynote Is May 20, Here Is What Google Has Previewed](https://groas.com/post/today-in-google-ads-may-14-2026#google-marketing-live-2026-keynote-is-may-20-here-is-what-google-has-previewed)

## What is journey-aware bidding and who is it for?

The article states journey-aware bidding is currently in beta for Target CPA Search lead gen campaigns. It values the full customer path rather than just last-click events. According to groas, it is relevant for B2B advertisers and high-consideration products.

Read more: [Journey-Aware Bidding](https://groas.com/post/today-in-google-ads-may-14-2026#journey-aware-bidding)

## What is the 37-month Google Ads data retention limit and when does it start?

The article states that hourly, daily, and weekly reporting data in Google Ads will be accessible for only 37 months going forward. Enforcement starts in June 2026, while monthly and annual aggregated data retains its 11-year window. The article recommends advertisers audit and export granular data older than 37 months before the window closes.

Read more: [Google Limits Granular Reporting Data To 37 Months Starting June 2026](https://groas.com/post/today-in-google-ads-may-14-2026#google-limits-granular-reporting-data-to-37-months-starting-june-2026)

## When does Google Ads API v20 shut down and what should advertisers do?

According to the article, Google Ads API v20 will stop functioning on June 10, 2026, which is described as a hard cutoff. Any system that still calls v20 endpoints for bidding, reporting, or campaign management will break. The article recommends confirming which API version scripts and integrations use and migrating to a currently supported API version.

Read more: [Google Ads API v20 Shuts Down June 10, Upgrade Now](https://groas.com/post/today-in-google-ads-may-14-2026#google-ads-api-v20-shuts-down-june-10-upgrade-now)

## What is changing with AI Max and Dynamic Search Ads in September 2026?

The article states Google has graduated AI Max for Search campaigns out of beta, citing an average 7% uplift in conversions or conversion value at similar CPA or ROAS when the full feature suite is enabled. Starting September 2026, Dynamic Search Ads, automatically created assets, and campaign-level broad match campaigns will be automatically upgraded to AI Max. The article recommends testing AI Max now on a subset of campaigns before the automatic upgrade.

Read more: [AI Max Exits Beta And DSA Auto-Upgrades Start In September](https://groas.com/post/today-in-google-ads-may-14-2026#ai-max-exits-beta-and-dsa-auto-upgrades-start-in-september)

## Sources

[1] https://groas.com/post/today-in-google-ads-may-14-2026 (the article this page answers from)