This week, the paid media world focused less on new tools and more on what’s changing beneath the surface.
Google expanded Performance Max into a new channel and offered long-awaited reporting visibility. Microsoft took a firm stance on brand safety by requiring Clarity across its publisher network. And one viral LinkedIn post questioned the effectiveness of Google’s newest “AI-powered” campaign model.
Each of these stories points to the same theme: Platforms are redefining what control and accountability mean for advertisers.
Performance Max Expands To Waze And Adds Channel Reporting
Google confirmed two changes for Performance Max campaigns.
The first notable update is that for PMax campaigns using “Store Visits” as a campaign goal, your business can now show up on Waze ads inventory. The business will show up as a “Promoted Places in Navigation” pin for users.
This update is for all advertisers in the United States, and no additional setup is required.
The second update is that Google rolled out Channel Reporting for all PMax campaigns. While this has been rolling out for a few months now, not every advertiser had this available.
Why Advertisers Should Pay Attention
Local intent now includes the navigation moment. If your brand depends on foot traffic, showing up while someone is driving near a location adds a fresh, real-world touchpoint.
The channel reporting update matters just as much. It helps shift PMax conversations from “trust the system” to “here’s where the system actually worked.”
In my opinion, this is progress on transparency and reach. It also adds variables you’ll be asked to explain.
The win isn’t “more placements.” The win is being able to connect surfaces to outcomes with fewer leaps of faith.
Microsoft Clarity Now Mandatory For Third-Party Publishers
Microsoft Ads Liaison, Navah Hopkins, shared an important announcement for all 3P publishers on Microsoft:
Screenshot taken by author, November 2025In her post, she mentions that all Microsoft Ads clicks need to make sure those pages have Microsoft Clarity enabled.
Her post got attention from the PPC industry, where she clarified in the comments that an official announcement from Microsoft will be coming out shortly. All Microsoft Ads partners have already been notified via email.
The post also sparked some questions and potential confusion about how Microsoft Ads wouldn’t be charged if they weren’t running Clarity.
Andy Hawes asked:
Thanks for this Navah Hopkins, but when you say “Any Microsoft Advertising clicks that do not have Clarity will be filtered out and result in nonbillable impressions/clicks.” Are you suggesting that if you don’t run clarity then you’re Microsoft Ads won’t cost anything? I’m assuming that is not the case? So could you explain that part please?
Hopkins clarified during the exchange:
Screenshot taken by author, November 2025Why Advertisers Should Pay Attention
Microsoft seems to be taking a quality stance, not just making a tracking footnote.
Based on the conversation on LinkedIn, Microsoft is tying billable media to verifiable on-site experience. In theory, that should reduce questionable placements and give brands greater confidence that their ads appear in environments that meet baseline standards.
I see this as Microsoft is trading raw reach for higher trust. Advertisers should expect fewer gray-area placements and stronger conversations with brand-safety teams.
It also nudges the market toward a new normal where “transparency” includes a window into on-site behavior, not just a placement report.
The Industry Reacts To AI Max Performance Data
AI Max was another hot topic on LinkedIn this past week.
Xavier Mantica shared four months of results comparing AI Max to traditional match types.
Screenshot taken by author, November 2025His data showed AI Max at $100.37 per conversion versus $43.97-$61.65 for most non-AI setups (and $97.67 for phrase close variants). His view: AI Max behaves like broad match with a new label, expanding beyond intended relevance and driving up cost.
As of this writing, the post has 991 engagements with over 170 comments from the PPC industry.
How Advertisers Are Reacting
Looking at the comments, it appears that many PPC pros agree that AI Max isn’t living up to the hype that Google made it out to be when originally announced.
Collin Slatterly, Founder of Taikun, shared his skeptical optimism by not just dismissing AI Max entirely, but shared it may just not be ready for its full potential:
Give it a year, and it’ll probably be ready to deploy. Feels like PMax all over again.
One of the top comments to Xavier’s post came from Mike Ryan, who agreed after analyzing 250 campaigns of his own:
Screenshot taken by author, November 2025There were others in the comments that had the opposite take of Xavier. Denis Capko replied in the comments, stating:
Screenshot taken by author, November 2025Why Advertisers Should Pay Attention
This debate goes beyond one account. It reflects a wider tension between volume and control.
“AI increases conversions” is only persuasive if cost, relevance, and repeatability hold up under scrutiny.
While the comments seemed overly negative to AI Max, I see it as AI Max feels more like growing pains than failure.
Automation continues to move faster than the frameworks we use to evaluate it, and advertisers are still learning how to guide it effectively.
When data quality, conversion accuracy, and negative signals are strong, AI Max can deliver meaningful scale. But without clear visibility into how the system interprets intent, results can vary widely.
Posts like Xavier’s highlight the need for transparency as much as performance. Google also benefits from that same openness: It builds trust, helps advertisers use automation more responsibly, and ultimately makes the technology stronger for everyone.
Theme Of The Week: Accountability
The updates and discussions this past week all share one thread: accountability.
Google is expanding where automation can go, Microsoft is tightening the standards for who gets to monetize it, and advertisers are rethinking how much control they’re willing to trade for convenience.
As platforms lean further into automation, the real advantage won’t come from who adopts it first. It will come from who understands it best.
Are you confident in what your automation is doing, or just comfortable letting it run?
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Featured Image: Roman Samborskyi/Shutterstock
