The keynote is May 20. The preparation window is now.
Google Marketing Live 2026 runs virtually on May 20 at 8:45 AM Pacific, with a EMEA edition on May 21 1. It lands the day after Google I/O, which means the broader AI announcements from I/O will set the stage for the advertising-specific product launches at GML.
GML is Google's annual product showcase. The announcements made here typically ship within three to six months and set the direction for the next year of Google Ads development. What gets announced on May 20 will shape Q3 and Q4 campaign strategy for every operator running Google.
What to expect based on what Google has shipped recently
Google does not pre-announce GML specifics, but the trajectory of their 2025 and early 2026 releases points clearly at five themes 2:
AI Mode advertising expansion. AI Mode has 75 million daily active users and ads already appear in 25% of AI-generated results. GML will likely announce broader ad format availability inside AI Mode, better reporting for AI Mode placements, and potentially new bid strategies optimized for AI Mode conversions.
DSA deprecation formalized. The September 2026 auto-upgrade of DSA to AI Max has already been announced, but GML may provide migration tools, best practices, and performance data from early adopters to accelerate the transition.
Universal Commerce Protocol expansion. UCP launched with Etsy, Wayfair, Shopify, and Walmart. GML is the venue where Google would announce a broader merchant rollout, potentially opening in-search checkout to all Shopping advertisers.
Gemini-powered creative tools. Google has been building generative AI creative features (image generation, video generation via Veo) into Google Ads throughout 2025. GML typically debuts the next generation of these tools. Expect creative generation capabilities inside Performance Max and Demand Gen campaigns powered by Gemini 3 and Veo 3 3.
Agentic campaign management. Google has been testing AI agent features that can manage campaign settings, suggest optimizations, and execute changes on behalf of advertisers. GML may announce broader access to these tools, which would further reduce the manual work in campaign management.
What this means for the firm's thesis
Every expected announcement moves in the same direction: more automation of the targeting and management layer, more AI-generated or AI-assisted creative, and more surfaces where the platform controls the user experience (AI Mode, UCP checkout). The work that remains in the operator's hands continues to narrow toward creative quality, offer strategy, and post-click experience.
If UCP expands broadly, ecommerce advertisers will compete inside a Google-controlled checkout experience where product data quality and pricing become the primary differentiators. If Gemini creative tools improve, the baseline quality of ad creative rises, which means custom creative must be better to stand out against AI-generated alternatives.
Both trends reinforce the same conclusion: the operators who invest in strong creative and conversion design will outperform those who rely on platform defaults. The defaults get better, but they become the floor, not the ceiling.
What to have ready before May 20
Review your AI Max readiness. If you still run DSA campaigns, start the migration now rather than waiting for GML to pressure you. The migration tools are already live.
Audit your product feed. If UCP expands to all Shopping advertisers, feed quality becomes the primary signal for in-search checkout placements. Missing attributes, stale pricing, or incomplete product descriptions will exclude you from the new surface.
Test Google's existing creative tools. If you have not used the AI-generated image or text features inside your campaigns, try them now. GML will likely announce the next version, and advertisers who have baseline experience with the current tools will adopt faster.
Document your current performance baselines. When GML features roll out over Q3, you will want to measure their impact against known baselines. Lock in your current CPA, ROAS, and conversion volume numbers now.
The pattern repeats
GML announcements follow a consistent pattern: Google previews features that expand automation and AI control, ships them over the following two quarters, and eventually makes them mandatory. Smart Bidding, Performance Max, AI Max: each started as an announcement at GML and became the default within 18 months. Whatever gets announced on May 20 is likely on the same timeline. The operators who adopt early capture the learning curve advantage. The operators who wait get force-migrated later with less preparation time.