Search Console AI report: see your AI Overviews and AI Mode data

What is the Search Console AI report?

It’s a new report showing how often your site appears in Google’s AI answers. Google announced it on 3 June 2026 in a blog post on new controls for website owners. It started as a test with some UK website owners. By 31 August 2026, Google said it had rolled out to all websites worldwide.

Google’s help page for the report says it covers AI Overviews and AI Mode. Search Labs experiments aren’t included.

Why did this start in the UK?

Because of the UK competition regulator. On the same day, the Competition and Markets Authority set a conduct requirement on Google Search. Advanced Television reported that it requires Google to give publishers ways to stop their content powering AI features, and to credit their content with clear links.

Google has nine months to put all the changes in place, and must publish compliance reports every six months in the first year. Search Engine Journal adds that the CMA expects page-level controls and click data by March 2027. So expect the report to get more useful over the next few months.

How do I find the AI report in Search Console?

Open Search Console, choose your property and look in the Performance section for the generative AI report. Google’s help page also links straight to it. If you don’t see it, Google says your site may not have enough AI impressions yet, or it may be excluded.

Once you’re in, you can break the data down like this:

What counts as an AI impression?

An impression is counted each time a link to your site is shown to someone in an AI feature. If several of your links appear in the same answer, the chart counts that as one impression. When you filter by page, the numbers are counted per page instead, so totals can look different.

Two things to bear in mind. First, it’s impressions only. Search Engine Journal notes the report doesn’t include clicks yet. Second, recent data can be early and may change, which shows as a dotted line on the chart.

How should a small business use the AI report?

Use it to find the pages Google already trusts, then make them better. Here’s a simple monthly routine:

1. Sort the Pages view by impressions and note your top five.
2. Check each one is up to date, with clear prices or price ranges, areas covered and real photos.
3. Add a short FAQ to pages that get AI impressions but don’t answer common questions.
4. Look for key service pages with no AI impressions. These usually need clearer, more direct answers near the top.
5. Compare with your normal Performance report to see if the same pages are getting clicks.
6. Check your GA4 for visits from AI tools, using our AI traffic tracking guide.

Google’s blog post also lists what helps visibility in AI features: unique content, a well-organised site, a good page experience and high-quality images and video. That lines up with what we cover in Google AI Overviews for local businesses.

Should I opt out of Google’s AI features?

Almost certainly not. The new setting sits under Settings, then Search generative AI. Google’s help page for the control gives three options: Include, which is the default, Exclude, and Inherit from parent.

If you choose Exclude, your links and content won’t appear in AI Overviews, AI Mode or AI features in Discover, and you’ll get no traffic or impressions from them. Other sites will still appear. Google says changes usually take effect within one to two days.

Google says the setting isn’t a ranking signal for normal search. It also doesn’t stop your content being used to train AI models. That’s handled separately through Google-Extended.

For a plumber, salon or accountant, opting out simply hands those AI mentions to a competitor. With Google saying AI Overviews has over 2.5 billion monthly users and AI Mode over one billion, that’s a lot of people to step away from.

What if my site has no AI impressions?

Don’t worry straight away. Google says the report may not appear if a site doesn’t have enough impressions in AI features yet. If your site is small or new, this may well be you.

It’s a sign to work on the basics. Make sure each main service has its own page, answer the questions customers ask you on the phone, and keep your Google Business Profile complete. Our local SEO checklist is a good place to start. Check the report again each month, as it fills in once Google starts linking to your pages.

Does this report show paid ads in AI Mode?

No. Search Engine Land’s guide to AI Mode ads points out that the Search Console report doesn’t show cost or return figures for paid AI Mode placements, and there’s no way yet to see ad results inside AI Mode on their own. If you run Google Ads, keep judging them on leads and cost per lead.

FAQs

Where is the AI report in Google Search Console?

It’s in the Performance section as the generative AI performance report, and Google’s help page links to it directly. If you can’t see it, your site may not have enough AI impressions yet.

Does the Search Console AI report show clicks?

Not yet. It shows impressions only, broken down by page, country, date and device. The UK regulator expects Google to add click data by March 2027.

Should a small business opt out of AI Overviews?

Usually no. Opting out removes your links from AI Overviews and AI Mode, so competitors get named instead. It mainly suits publishers who rely on people reading content on their own site.

Does opting out of AI features hurt normal rankings?

Google says the setting isn’t a ranking signal for other parts of Search. It only controls whether you appear in its generative AI features.

Why did the AI report start in the UK?

Google first tested it with UK website owners while working with the Competition and Markets Authority, which set new rules on 3 June 2026 requiring publisher controls over AI features.