Google Ads will remove manual language targeting for Search campaigns and shift fully to AI-driven language detection by the end of this year.

Details:

  • What’s changing. Manual language targeting in Search campaigns will disappear; AI handles it automatically.
  • What’s not changing. Non-Search campaigns (e.g., Display, YouTube) keep their existing language targeting settings.
Language Targeting Removed

Why we care. Advertisers will no longer choose languages for targeting. Instead, Google AI will determine language based on user signals. This change simplifies setup, but reduces direct control. Google’s AI could simplify campaign setup and improve detection, but this also poses risks (e.g., ads being shown in the wrong markets or missing key audiences). Marketers will need to watch performance closely and adjust strategies since AI will now fully dictate how language targeting works.

First seen. This update was brought to our attention by PPC News Feed, who credited Ezra Sackett for spotting it.

The big picture. This marks another step in Google Ads’ broader shift toward automation, leaning on AI to optimize campaign delivery while limiting advertiser controls.

Search Engine Land is owned by Semrush. We remain committed to providing high-quality coverage of marketing topics. Unless otherwise noted, this page’s content was written by either an employee or a paid contractor of Semrush Inc.

Anu AdegbolaAnu Adegbola

Anu Adegbola has been Paid Media Editor of Search Engine Land since 2024. She covers paid search, paid social, retail media, video and more. In 2008, Anu’s career started with delivering digital marketing campaigns (mostly but not exclusively Paid Search) by building strategies, maximising ROI, automating repetitive processes and bringing efficiency from every part of marketing departments through inspiring leadership both on agency, client and marketing tech side. Outside editing Search Engine Land article she is the founder of PPC networking event – PPC Live and host of weekly podcast PPC Live The Podcast.
She is also an international speaker with some of the stages she has presented on being SMX (US, UK, Munich, Berlin), Friends of Search (Amsterdam, NL), brightonSEO, The Marketing Meetup, HeroConf (PPC Hero), SearchLove, BiddableWorld, SESLondon, PPC Chat Live, AdWorld Experience (Bologna, IT) and more.