Google Search Console Adds AI Performance Reports and Opt-Out Control — What Site Owners Should Do

Google has rolled out AI performance reports and a new toggle in Search Console that lets website owners control whether their content is used in Search’s generative AI features. The update was reported by Barry Schwartz at Search Engine Land on August 31, 2026, and it’s now available to all Search Console users worldwide. This post explains what the changes are, why they matter, and practical next steps for site owners and SEOs.

What changed in Search Console

Two major features are being introduced. First, dedicated AI performance reports show how content appears in generative AI features such as AI Overviews and AI Mode. These reports provide impressions by page, country, device and date — but notably do not include click data. According to Google’s announcement, “The new Search Console reports are designed to give you dedicated views of your impressions within generative AI features on Search, such as AI Overviews and AI Mode” (Hillel Maoz & Moshe Samet, Google Developers, June 3, 2026).

Second, a new opt-out control is available as a toggle in Search Console settings. The setting lets website owners prevent their content from being used to generate or ground AI responses. Search Engine Land summarized Google’s guidance: “website owners can decide if they want their site to appear in and help ground responses in our generative AI Search features.” Barry Schwartz, Search Engine Land.

Why this matters

These features change two important dynamics for publishers. The AI performance reports make AI-driven visibility measurable. Previously, AI-driven impressions could be opaque and mixed into other metrics. With a dedicated view, site owners can see which pages appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode, which countries and devices show the content most, and whether impressions are rising or falling over time.

The opt-out control gives publishers agency over how their content is reused. Google warns that “sites that opt out will not receive traffic or impressions from our generative AI features,” which is an explicit trade-off: protect how your content is presented, but lose visibility from generative AI placements. Search Engine Land relayed that phrasing directly from Google’s documentation.

Practical implications for SEOs and site owners

Both features demand a pragmatic response. Here are the key implications and recommended actions.

1. Start monitoring AI impressions now

Add the AI performance reports to your regular Search Console checks. Look for pages with high AI impressions but low click-throughs, or pages that show disproportionate AI visibility in particular regions or devices. Use those signals to decide whether to refine the page content, add clearer attribution, or keep it as-is if AI visibility is beneficial.

2. Evaluate whether to opt out

Create a decision matrix for opting out. Consider brand sensitivity, content value, and traffic dependencies. For example, pages that contain proprietary data, premium content, or creative works with licensing concerns may be good candidates for opting out. Conversely, evergreen informational content that drives awareness might be left in to capture AI-driven discovery.

3. Improve page grounding and provenance

Generative AI features rely on page content for grounding answers. Make sure pages include clear, structured information, visible bylines, and strong E-A-T signals where relevant. Schema markup, consistent author metadata, and clear source citations improve the chance that AI systems correctly attribute and interpret your content.

4. Track impact over time

Because the AI reports currently exclude click data, combine them with other analytics sources. Correlate AI impressions with organic traffic, engagement metrics, and conversion rates. If AI impressions increase but conversions don’t, investigate whether AI placements are cannibalizing clicks or simply raising awareness without direct intent to convert.

Recommended next steps (checklist)

• Open Search Console and locate the new AI performance reports. Add a weekly review to your reporting cadence.
• Inventory pages that are likely to be used in AI features (how-to guides, definitions, FAQs) and flag those for review.
• Decide opt-out criteria and pilot the setting on a small set of pages to measure impact. Document results for 30–60 days.
• Improve on-page grounding: add author info, update schema, and ensure clear citations and dates.
• Correlate AI impressions with analytics to see downstream effects on behavior and conversions.

Attribution and further reading

This post is based on reporting from Search Engine Land: Barry Schwartz, “Google Search Console AI performance reports and Search generative AI control rolling out globally,” Aug 31, 2026. As Barry notes, the feature is now available globally and gives website owners control over generative AI usage of their content. Read the original article here: https://searchengineland.com/google-search-console-ai-performance-reports-and-search-generative-ai-control-rolling-out-globally-486269

For Google’s technical announcement and details on the report metrics, see the Google Developers post by Hillel Maoz and Moshe Samet: https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2026/06/gen-ai-performance-reports

Quote from Search Engine Land (Barry Schwartz): “website owners can decide if they want their site to appear in and help ground responses in our generative AI Search features.”

Quote from Google Developers (Hillel Maoz & Moshe Samet): “The new Search Console reports are designed to give you dedicated views of your impressions within generative AI features on Search, such as AI Overviews and AI Mode.”

SEOteric will monitor the rollout and publish follow-up guidance based on observed impacts and our tests. If you’d like help assessing whether to opt out or how to use the new reports, contact the SEOteric team.