The Human Touch in Google Ads: Why AI Still Needs Us (For Now)

Unless you've been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard the word "AI" popping up everywhere. Tools like ChatGPT and Google Gemini have gone mainstream, but what many people don’t realise is that Google Ads has been using AI for years.

It’s getting smarter, more automated, and much more hands-off. For small business owners, that sounds ideal. But if you’ve ever found yourself wondering "Do I still need someone to manage this?" or "Should I be doing this myself?" – this post is for you.

AI is powerful, yes. But it’s not a full replacement yet for human insight, whether that’s from a Google Ads consultant like me or you as the expert in your own business. In this post, I’ll walk through what Google’s AI does well, where it currently falls short, and why combining AI with human expertise remains the most effective way forward for small business advertising.

What Google’s AI Can Do

Let me be clear: I’m not anti-AI in Google Ads. I use it regularly and see its benefits. Here are just a few of the areas where Google’s AI does a solid job:

Smart Bidding

Smart Bidding is one of the earliest AI features that many advertisers got access to. It uses real-time intent signals to automatically adjust your bids, something that used to take a lot of manual input. In many cases, it can do this more effectively than a person. Especially when you're working with large amounts of data and established conversion history, Smart Bidding can outperform even experienced hands in terms of efficiency.

That said, it depends on good data. If your conversions aren’t set up properly or if you’re tracking the wrong things, the AI has no idea it’s heading in the wrong direction.

Performance Max Campaigns

If you’ve read any of my previous posts, you’ll know I’ve got a bit of a love-hate relationship with Performance Max. On paper, it’s powerful: Google chooses the placements, formats, and audiences based on your goals.

The idea is appealing: give Google your assets and goals, and it handles the rest. In some cases, it delivers decent results, I have seen this for e-commerce businesses with strong feeds. But many of my service-based or lead-gen clients find the lack of visibility frustrating, as do I!

However, PMax is evolving, and Google is improving transparency, but the current version still often feels like a black box. You get results, but you’re left wondering why it worked or didn’t. That’s where human interpretation is key.

AI-Generated Headlines, Assets and Images

AI-generated ad assets are especially helpful for small businesses with limited budgets. I’ve worked with plenty of businesses that don’t have an in-house designer or copywriter, and AI tools have allowed them to get started without breaking the bank.

However, there’s a big caveat here. These tools tend to produce generic content. I’ve seen multiple clients in completely different industries offered the same headline suggestions. That lack of personality can affect brand perception and relevance.

Brand tone and message are still best handled by someone who truly understands your business and your audience. Especially for purpose-driven brands or local service businesses, sounding “just like everyone else” can hurt more than help.

Saving You Time

It’s true that AI speeds things up. Performance Max lets you build a campaign quickly, Smart Bidding means you don’t have to manually adjust bids and asset generation fills in creative gaps.

For businesses that need to move fast, this can be a huge win. But faster isn’t always better. Sometimes the extra time spent tailoring a campaign means you avoid wasted spend and poor-fit leads.

AI saves time, but often at the cost of control, insight, and nuance. That trade-off isn’t always worth it.

When AI Works Well

In my experience, Google’s AI performs better when:

• You’re running campaigns that generate a high volume of data  
• Your tracking is configured correctly
• Your goals are simple, specific and value-driven (e.g. drive online sales)
• You have a well-structured account with good historical data

In those situations, automation can amplify performance. But without that solid foundation, AI often amplifies mistakes.

I’ve seen accounts with over a year of automated data that still weren’t driving results, not because AI didn’t work, but because it was being fed the wrong goals or misinterpreting value.

What AI Can’t Replace (Yet) – And Why That Matters

Here’s where a real human still makes all the difference:

Contextual Decision-Making

AI can recognise patterns, but I have found it struggles to understand the business in context. Whilst it can learn about the seasonal slow periods in your industry from your data, does it know your specific business slow periods? It may not know your plans to hire a new team member, or your warehouse being closed for renovations.

Let’s say your conversion rate drops in April. AI sees a dip and might pull back spend / bidding. But you know it’s school holidays and it always slows down. A consultant takes this into account – AI may not.

Another example: I worked with a client who was launching a new product line. We reduced spend on legacy campaigns and shifted focus gradually. That strategy wouldn’t have been obvious to the AI – it needed conversation, understanding, and planning.

Messaging That Resonates

Google’s AI can write grammatically correct headlines and descriptions. But compelling, value-led messaging still (in my experience) needs a human touch.

Ad copy that reflects your tone of voice, taps into your audience’s emotions, and communicates your values is what turns impressions into clicks. Especially in sectors where trust, personality, or ethics play a big role (like healthcare, coaching, or social enterprise), this nuance is crucial.

AI can’t (yet) capture that kind of emotional intelligence. And if everyone’s using the same AI tools to write ads, we could be heading towards a sea of sameness – where nobody stands out. I am sure it will get there soon, but currently it's all a bit bland.

The Emotional Risks of AI-Generated Copy

One thing I’ve noticed is that while AI can be technically accurate and even persuasive, it often misses the emotional heart of a business. Small business ads aren’t just about features and benefits; they’re about connection, relatability, and trust.

I’ve seen social enterprises and local service providers lose their distinctive voice when over-relying on auto-generated headlines. The result? Ads that feel flat, overly generic, or even worse, completely miss what makes the business different. For values-led businesses especially, that emotional disconnection can reduce click-throughs, damage brand perception, or just make potential customers scroll past.

If you’re using AI to write your ads, one tip I give clients is to always ask: “Does this sound like me? Or does it sound like a robot that’s read my homepage?”

Interpreting Results Strategically

Data doesn’t always tell the whole story. AI may show you numbers, but humans tell you what they mean.

For example, I have a client where the ROAS in the account doesn’t look great on paper. But when we looked at lead value over time, we realised the campaigns were attracting new clients who then made multiple purchases. The value wasn’t immediate – it built over time.

AI would’ve scaled back or even stopped those campaigns. A human strategy saw the potential and refined the funnel instead.

This is especially important for service-based businesses or high-value items with long sales cycles. You need someone to see beyond the dashboard.

Filtering Poor Recommendations

Google will often nudge advertisers to auto-apply recommendations. Sometimes, these suggestions are helpful – add sitelinks, test new headlines and descriptions. But other times, they’re outright harmful.

I’ve audited accounts where AI auto-added thousands of irrelevant keywords. Or switched bidding strategies without considering lead quality.

Good account management means looking at each recommendation and asking: Does this make sense for this business, right now? Automation can’t do that. I do this weekly for my clients – reviewing recommendations, applying what fits, and rejecting what doesn’t.

A Small Business Owner’s Checklist: Using AI Wisely in Google Ads

If you’re managing your own Google Ads and using AI-driven tools, here’s a simple checklist to help you stay on the right track:

1. Is your conversion tracking set up properly?
Make sure you're tracking meaningful actions, not just default ones like ‘directions’ or page views.

2. Are your campaigns aligned to clear business goals?
Don’t just chase clicks - make sure your campaigns are focused on outcomes that actually grow your business.

3. Have you reviewed your headlines and descriptions recently?
Do they still sound like you? If not, consider rewriting or tweaking them to better reflect your tone.

4. Are you checking recommendations before applying them?
Auto-apply might be tempting, but unchecked automation can create chaos.

5. Are you checking in on performance beyond just ROAS?
Look at lead quality, conversion intent, long-term value - not just the numbers the platform wants to show you.

6. Have you set aside time to review your campaigns regularly?
Even 15 minutes a week can help you spot when things are going off track.

This checklist isn’t exhaustive, but it’s a great place to start if you want to let AI help you without letting it take over.

Why Small Businesses Still Need a Human Touch

Running ads is one thing. Running profitable, sustainable campaigns is another. And for small businesses, the stakes are high – ad spend is real money that needs to work hard.

Here’s why the human element still matters:

• Most small business owners don’t have time to manage their accounts daily
• You need strategic advice, not just a setup wizard
• Your business changes, and so should your campaigns
• You want clarity, not just data

Think of me as your Google Ads Consultant as a campaign translator, protector, and strategic partner. We don’t just set up your campaigns – we make sure they’re moving in the right direction, stay on track, and deliver what matters to you.

Over the years, I’ve helped clients avoid costly mistakes, course-correct before things spiral, and spot opportunities they hadn’t considered.

The Sweet Spot: Human + AI

Here’s the good news: you don’t have to choose between automation and human support. The best outcomes happen when you use both.

I use AI tools in my own workflow – to:

• Draft ad copy ideas to build off from
• Spot performance anomalies
• Speed up campaign builds
• Summarise performance data

But then I apply my knowledge of your audience, offer, seasonality, goals, past experiments, and competitors. I know what you care about. I know where you’re headed. I know what you’ve already tried.

This is where the magic happens. The data-handling power of AI, guided by human strategy. You get faster insights without sacrificing control. You save time and stay true to your brand.

AI is here. It’s already reshaping Google Ads, and it’s only going to evolve further. It’s faster, smarter, and more capable than ever before.

But it’s not ready to manage your campaigns alone. Not if you want them to work for your business, your goals, and your customers.

If you’re a small business owner curious about maximising Google Ads in today's AI-driven world, let’s chat. Whether you’re overseeing ads on your own or considering professional help, I can assist you in balancing automation with expert guidance.

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