Google Search Console now shows how your pages perform inside Google’s AI features. On August 31, 2026, Google made its AI performance reporting available globally, and alongside it introduced a new Search generative AI control that lets site owners choose whether their content appears in generative AI features such as AI Overviews, AI Mode and AI features in Discover.
For bloggers and small website owners, these are two of the most important Search Console changes of the year. This guide explains what the report shows, what it does not show, and how to think about the opt-out control before you touch it.
What the AI Performance Report Shows
The new reporting gives you a view of how often your pages were shown inside Google’s generative AI experiences. In practice you can use it to answer questions like:
- Which of my pages are being surfaced in AI answers?
- Which topics on my site get the most AI impressions?
- Is my AI visibility growing or shrinking over time?
Because the data is impressions only, you cannot see how many people clicked from an AI answer to your site in this report. To estimate that, compare the AI impression trend with your overall clicks in the standard Performance report and with referral data in your analytics tool.
| Metric | Available in AI report? | Where else to look |
|---|---|---|
| Impressions in AI features | Yes | – |
| Clicks from AI answers | No | Overall Performance report, analytics |
| Page-level breakdown | Yes | Pages tab |
| Query-level detail | Limited | Standard Performance report |
If you are new to Search Console, start with our Google Search Console guide to understand the standard reports first.
How to Read the Data Without Overreacting
AI features change quickly, so short-term swings are normal. A few habits help:
- Compare at least 28 days against the previous 28 days, not day by day.
- Group pages by topic. If a whole cluster gains AI impressions, that topic is a strength worth expanding.
- Watch pages with high AI impressions but falling clicks overall. These may be answered fully inside the AI summary, so consider adding deeper content that readers still need to visit for, such as tools, templates or step-by-step walkthroughs.
- Note big Google announcements (core updates, spam updates, AI model changes) on your calendar so you can explain sudden shifts. For example, see our coverage of the Google September 2026 spam update.
What Is the Search Generative AI Control?
The generative AI control is a setting that lets a site choose not to have its content used in Google’s generative AI search features: AI Overviews, AI Mode and AI features in Discover. According to Google, opting out does not change core ranking in the classic blue-link results.
Should you opt out?
For most small blogs, the honest answer is: probably not, at least not without data. Consider the trade-offs.
| If you stay in | If you opt out |
|---|---|
| Your pages can be cited and linked in AI answers | Your pages will not appear in those AI features |
| You get AI impression data to learn from | You lose that visibility and data |
| Some queries may be answered without a click | Readers who want AI summaries will see other sources |
| Brand exposure in a growing search surface | Traditional rankings are said to be unaffected |
Sites that might consider opting out include publishers whose core product is the information itself (for example, paid research or premium recipes) and who see clear evidence that AI answers replace visits. Most informational blogs benefit from being cited, especially now that AI answers are showing more external links.
How to Improve Your Chances of Being Cited in AI Answers
The same principles behind good SEO apply. Our article on AI Overviews and SEO covers this in depth, but the short version is:
- Answer the main question clearly in the first two or three sentences of a section.
- Use descriptive headings that match how people ask questions.
- Add original details: examples, numbers from your own tests, screenshots and experience.
- Keep facts updated and show the date of the last update.
- Use clean structure: lists, tables and short paragraphs. See our guide on header tags H1 to H6 for heading structure.
- Build trust with author bios and clear sourcing, as explained in our E-E-A-T guide.
A Monthly AI Visibility Routine
| Step | Task | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Export AI impressions by page for the last 28 days | 10 minutes |
| 2 | Mark the top 10 pages and the 10 biggest losers | 10 minutes |
| 3 | Update one losing page with fresh, deeper content | 1 hour |
| 4 | Create one new post on a topic where you already gain AI impressions | 2 hours |
| 5 | Request indexing for updated and new URLs | 5 minutes |
Frequently Asked Questions
When did the AI performance report become available worldwide?
Google made it available globally on August 31, 2026.
Does the report show clicks from AI Overviews?
No. It shows impressions. Use your overall Performance report and analytics for click trends.
Will opting out of generative AI features hurt my rankings?
Google has said the control does not affect core rankings in regular search results.
Is the AI report available for small sites?
It is part of Search Console, so any verified property can use it, though very small sites may see limited data.
Conclusion
The AI performance report finally gives site owners a window into a part of search that was invisible before. Use it to learn which topics Google trusts you on, keep improving those pages, and think carefully before using the generative AI opt-out. For most bloggers, being visible and cited in AI answers is still the better long-term bet.
