Search Console’s Generative AI Report: How to Use Google’s AI Overview and AI Mode Data

For two years, AI search visibility in Google was mostly guesswork.

Impressions went up. CTR went down. Traffic flattened.

Everyone suspected AI Overviews were part of the story, but Search Console blended that activity into the standard Performance report with no way to isolate it.

That changed in 2026.

Google introduced Search generative AI performance reports in June 2026, starting with a limited group of sites, and stated that the reports had rolled out to all websites worldwide as of August 31, 2026.

For the first time, site owners have first-party data from Google showing which of their pages are being surfaced inside AI-generated search experiences.

But the report is narrower than many people expect. It counts impressions. It does not tell you which searches triggered them, and it does not tell you whether anyone clicked.

That means the report is extremely useful, but only if you know how to read it alongside the rest of your data.

The question is no longer “Are we in AI search?” It is “Which pages are being surfaced, and is that visibility turning into business?”

What Does the Generative AI Report Show?

Google offers two versions of the report: one for Search, covering generative AI features such as AI Overviews and AI Mode, and one for Discover, covering generative AI features in the Discover feed.

Both are structured much like the familiar Performance report, with a chart over time and dimension tabs underneath.

1. Impressions

The core metric is impressions: how often links to your site were shown to users inside a generative AI feature.

An impression means your URL was displayed as part of an AI-generated experience. It does not mean the user saw it, read it, or clicked it.

2. Pages

The Pages tab shows which URLs earned AI impressions. Google groups this data by the final URL linked from the AI feature after redirects, and, as with the main Performance report, most data is attributed to the canonical URL.

This is the most actionable part of the report. It tells you which content formats and topics Google’s AI systems are already willing to surface from your domain.

3. Countries

The Countries tab shows where AI impressions are originating. This matters for businesses that serve specific markets, because generative AI features and their availability can vary by location.

4. Devices

The Search version of the report includes a device breakdown, which helps identify whether AI visibility is concentrated on mobile or desktop.

5. Dates

Google supports viewing performance over time at hourly, daily, weekly, and monthly granularity, which makes it easier to spot sudden shifts around algorithm updates, content changes, or competitor activity.

What the Report Does Not Show

Understanding the limits of the report is just as important as understanding the data in it.

A few other details are easy to miss:

• The data is not additive. Generative AI impressions are also included in the Web search type of the main Performance report. Adding the two together double-counts visibility.
• There is no API access yet. The Search Analytics API does not currently expose this data, so exporting from the report interface is the practical option for now.
• Low-volume sites may not see it. Google notes that a property may not see the report if it has not received enough impressions in generative AI features.
• Opted-out sites will not see data. If you have excluded your site from Search generative AI features, you should not expect impressions from them.

How to Find the Report

Open Search Console, select your property, and look under Performance. The generative AI report appears as its own view alongside the standard Search results report, with separate versions for Search and Discover.

If you do not see it, check three things:

• whether your property has enough generative AI impressions to generate the report
• whether the Search generative AI control in Settings has excluded your site
• whether you are viewing the correct property type and version of your domain

A Better Metric: AI Impression Share

Raw AI impressions are hard to interpret on their own. A page with 5,000 AI impressions might be a huge success or a minor contributor, depending on how much total search visibility it has.

A more useful lens is what we call AI Impression Share.

Because generative AI impressions are already included in the Web search data, this ratio estimates how much of a page’s Google visibility is coming from AI features.

For example, assume a guide earned 12,000 Web search impressions over a month, and 3,000 of those came from generative AI features:

3,000 ÷ 12,000 × 100 = 25% AI Impression Share

This is not an official Google metric. It is a practical framework for comparing pages, spotting which content types AI search prefers, and identifying where AI features may be absorbing clicks.

It works best at several levels:

• Page AI Impression Share: How dependent one URL is on AI visibility.
• Content-Type AI Impression Share: How guides, service pages, glossary pages, and case studies compare.
• Topic AI Impression Share: How a cluster of related pages performs together.
• Trend AI Impression Share: How the ratio shifts month over month.

These numbers are illustrative, not benchmarks.

The insight comes from your own patterns. If definitions and guides earn most of your AI impressions while service pages earn almost none, that tells you where AI search is introducing buyers to your brand, and where your internal links and calls to action need to carry them next.

How to Use the Generative AI Report Step by Step

Step 1: Export a Baseline

Start by exporting the Pages tab for a defined period, such as the last three full months.

Because the data is not yet available through the API, build the habit of exporting on a regular schedule so you can create your own historical record.

Step 2: Export the Matching Web Search Page Data

Export the Pages tab from the main Performance report, filtered to Web search, for the exact same date range.

Combine the two exports in a spreadsheet by URL. This gives you total impressions, AI impressions, clicks, CTR, and average position for every page in one place.

Step 3: Calculate AI Impression Share and Group by Page Type

Add an AI Impression Share column and label each URL by type:

• service pages
• blog guides
• glossary or definition pages
• comparison pages
• case studies
• location pages
• product or category pages

Patterns at the content-type level are usually more reliable than conclusions drawn from one URL.

Step 4: Recover the Missing Query Context

The generative AI report does not show queries, but the main Performance report does.

For pages with high AI Impression Share, filter the main report by that page and review its queries. Look for longer, question-based, and comparison-style searches. These are often the searches most likely to trigger generative AI features.

This will not prove which query produced which AI impression, but it narrows the likely intent behind that visibility.

Step 5: Use GA4 to Measure Clicks and Conversions

Impressions are only the start of the journey.

In Google Analytics 4, visits from AI Overviews and AI Mode are grouped with Organic Search rather than broken out separately. Review landing page engagement and conversions for the pages with the most AI visibility, and compare their trends before and after AI impressions grew.

For a deeper attribution framework, see our guide to the AI traffic attribution audit.

Step 6: Annotate Changes and Review Monthly

Record content updates, new pages, technical fixes, and known Google updates next to your AI impression trends.

A monthly review is a practical rhythm for most businesses. It is frequent enough to catch meaningful shifts without overreacting to normal day-to-day fluctuation.

How to Diagnose What the Data Means

Once your AI and organic data are side by side, most pages fall into a recognizable pattern.

For the first pattern, our zero-click SEO strategy guide explains how to generate leads when searchers do not click.

For the second, see Why Your Brand Ranks in Google But Does Not Get Cited in AI Search.

For the third, read our breakdown of AI citation volatility.

Should You Use the Search Generative AI Opt-Out Control?

Alongside the reports, Google introduced a Search generative AI control in Search Console Settings that lets site owners exclude their content from generative AI features such as AI Overviews, AI Mode, and AI features in Discover.

For most businesses that rely on search for leads, opting out deserves careful thought. Sites that opt out should not expect traffic or impressions from those features, which means giving up a growing layer of search visibility.

Before changing that setting, use the report to answer:

• How many impressions are coming from generative AI features?
• Which pages earn them?
• Do those pages still drive engaged visits and conversions in GA4?
• Is AI visibility introducing your brand to new audiences earlier in the buyer journey?
• Would competitors simply take your place in those answers?

Make the decision with data rather than assumptions.

How to Improve Pages With Low AI Visibility

The report tells you where you stand. Improving your position still comes down to strong SEO fundamentals adapted for AI search.

1. Lead With Clear Answers

Put concise, standalone answers directly beneath question-based headings. Pages that bury the answer are harder to use as a source.

2. Cover the Subtopics Around the Question

AI search experiences can explore multiple related subtopics when building an answer. Pages and clusters that cover definitions, comparisons, costs, steps, and common problems give your domain more chances to be selected.

Learn more in our guide to query fan-out SEO.

3. Confirm Technical Eligibility

Pages need to be crawlable, indexed, and eligible to appear with a snippet. Check canonicals, internal links, and indexing status for important pages with little or no AI visibility.

4. Add Information Worth Surfacing

Original frameworks, first-party data, calculations, examples, and expert observations give AI systems a reason to choose your page over a generic alternative.

5. Connect Informational Pages to Commercial Pages

If guides earn AI visibility and service pages do not, internal links and clear next steps help turn that early-stage exposure into qualified visits to your SEO services and other conversion pages.

For a full measurement framework beyond Search Console, see How to Measure AI Search Visibility.

Search Console Generative AI Report FAQs

What is the Search Console generative AI report?

It is a dedicated performance report in Google Search Console that shows how often URLs from your site appeared in Google’s generative AI features, including AI Overviews and AI Mode in Search and generative AI features in Discover.

Does the generative AI report show clicks?

No. The report currently focuses on impressions. To understand clicks and conversions, combine it with the main Performance report and GA4 landing page data.

Does the report show which queries triggered AI Overviews?

No. The report does not include query data. You can estimate likely intent by filtering the main Performance report by page and reviewing its longer, question-based queries.

Does the report separate AI Overviews from AI Mode?

The Search version of the report covers generative AI features in Search, including AI Overviews and AI Mode, and reports them together rather than as separate metrics.

Are generative AI impressions included in the regular Performance report?

Yes. Generative AI impressions are also included in the Web search type of the main Performance report, so the two numbers should not be added together.

Why can’t I see the generative AI report in Search Console?

Google says the reports have rolled out to all websites worldwide, but a property may not see one if it has not received enough generative AI impressions or if the site has been excluded from Search generative AI features in Settings.

Can I access generative AI report data through the API?

Not currently. The Search Analytics API does not yet expose this data, so regular manual exports are the best way to build a long-term historical record.

How do I measure traffic from AI Overviews in GA4?

Visits from AI Overviews and AI Mode are grouped with Organic Search in GA4 rather than reported as a separate channel. Compare landing page engagement and conversions for the pages that earn the most AI impressions.

Should I opt my site out of Google’s generative AI features?

It depends on your business model, but sites that opt out should not expect traffic or impressions from those features. Review your AI impression data and conversion performance before making that decision.

How often should I review the generative AI report?

A monthly review works for most businesses, with closer monitoring around major content changes and Google updates. Consistent exports and comparisons matter more than reacting to daily fluctuations.

From Guessing About AI Visibility to Measuring It

Until recently, SEO teams had to infer AI search performance from shrinking CTR, screenshots, and third-party estimates.

Now Google provides a first-party view of which pages appear in its AI experiences.

“Are we showing up in AI search?” finally has a data-backed starting point.

The next question is more important:

“Which pages are earning AI visibility, what intent are they serving, and is that visibility producing leads and revenue?”

The generative AI report cannot answer that question on its own. But combined with the main Performance report, GA4, and consistent monitoring, it becomes one of the most useful AI search measurement tools available.

Measure AI impressions, AI Impression Share, organic visibility, engagement, conversions, and revenue together.

That is how Search Console’s newest report becomes an SEO strategy instead of just another chart.