Per Search Engine Journal, which cites a Google blog post, Google is testing two Search Console features for generative AI Search: a visibility toggle that lets site owners control whether their pages appear in AI Overviews and AI Mode, and dedicated performance reports that show impressions from generative AI features. Search Engine Journal reports both features are rolling out to a subset of UK sites first, with Google saying it will expand availability globally after testing. The new reports, according to Search Engine Journal, break AI-feature impressions by page, country, device, and date down to hourly granularity but initially omit click data and query-level metrics; Google is "continuing to work with website owners to understand what insights will be most helpful," the report says. Varn's coverage notes that Google has previously started reflecting AI Mode activity in Search Console metrics, though isolation of AI-only performance remained limited.
What happened
Per Search Engine Journal, which cites a Google blog post, Google is testing two new Search Console features: a visibility toggle that lets site owners exclude their pages from appearing in generative search experiences such as AI Overviews and AI Mode, and a dedicated performance report that surfaces impressions when a site's URLs appear in generative AI features in Search and Discover. Search Engine Journal reports both features are being trialled with a subset of UK websites first, and that Google said it will expand availability globally after testing. Search Engine Journal reports the dedicated AI reports break impressions by page, country, device, and date down to hourly granularity, and that the initial rollout omits click data and query-level metrics; Search Engine Journal quotes Google as "continuing to work with website owners to understand what insights will be most helpful."
Technical details
Varn's coverage documents that Google has already begun including AI Mode activity in Search Console performance data, so impressions and some clicks tied to AI Mode exposures have been counted in standard reports. Varn notes limitations reported by site owners and analysts because, prior to this test, there was no practical filter to isolate AI-mode traffic inside Search Console. The Search Engine Journal report describes the new tests as providing a dedicated view for generative-AI impressions while still withholding click and query-level metrics in the initial release.
Industry context
Editorial analysis: Companies and platforms that layer generative AI on top of traditional search have repeatedly faced measurement challenges, because AI-driven responses aggregate and reformat links, making it harder to attribute exposures and downstream clicks using legacy metrics. A dedicated impressions report and a visibility toggle respond to those measurement and content-usage questions at the reporting layer.
What to watch
Editorial analysis: Observers should watch whether Google adds click, query, and referral-level metrics to the AI reports, whether the visibility toggle settings are respected across Discover and other surfaces, and how quickly the test expands beyond UK sites. Also monitor whether site-level exclusions affect discoverability in non-AI search surfaces; Search Engine Journal reports Google says the toggle will not be used as a ranking signal outside the AI features.
Scoring Rationale #
The update matters to practitioners who track search visibility and attribution because generative AI features change how impressions and clicks are counted. It is primarily an SEO and measurement story rather than a core ML development, so the impact is notable but not industry-shaking.
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