Google will let websites opt out of AI Mode and Overviews in Search
Google will add a Search Console toggle letting publishers exclude their sites from AI Mode and AI Overviews while staying in regular Search.
Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini
Google is giving site owners a new control over how their pages are used in generative AI search features. The company says the setting affects AI Mode, AI Overviews, and related Discover surfaces, but not normal Search rankings.
Google is giving website owners a switch that says, “Do not use my pages to help write AI answers.” It is like letting a library book stay on the shelf for regular readers, but keeping it out of a robot-made summary table.
Analysis
What Google is changing
Google says publishers will be able to decide whether their sites are used by AI Mode and AI Overviews through a new opt-out control in Search Console. The important distinction is that this setting only applies to Google’s generative AI search products. Sites that choose it will still appear in regular Google Search results and in the Discover feed.
Google is also saying the opt-out will not be treated as a ranking signal. In other words, the company says a site’s choice to limit AI usage should not change how it ranks in standard search.
What the control affects
According to the article, opting out means a site will not receive traffic or impressions from AI Overviews, AI Mode, or AI Overviews in Google Discover. The Gemini app is explicitly excluded from this control, so the setting does not cover every Google AI product.
New reporting for publishers
Alongside the opt-out, Google is adding generative AI search statistics in Search Console. Those stats include impressions metrics, which pages appear in AI responses, and which countries those responses show up in. That should make it easier for site owners to see whether their content is being surfaced in AI-driven search experiences.
Rollout
Google says the feature is starting with a subset of website owners in the UK for testing before a broader global rollout. The company also repeated usage numbers for its AI search products, saying AI Overviews has more than 2.5 billion monthly active users and AI Mode has over 1 billion monthly users. Google says it is also increasing the number of links shown inside AI results.
Key points
- Google is adding a Search Console toggle for AI Mode and AI Overviews.
- Sites that opt out will still appear in regular Search and Discover.
- Google says the setting will not affect ranking in standard Search.
- The control does not apply to the Gemini app.
- Search Console will also show new generative AI search metrics, including impressions and countries.
If the rollout works as Google says, publishers get clearer control over how their work is used in AI search. The new stats in Search Console could also help sites understand where AI features are sending attention and traffic.
If many publishers opt out, Google’s AI answers could have less source material to draw from, which may weaken those features. The split between regular Search and AI surfaces may also make it harder for publishers to balance visibility, traffic, and control.
