Google lets your website opt out of AI Mode, Overviews
What's the story
Google has announced a major change in its search services, giving website publishers the option to opt out of AI Mode and AI Overviews. The new feature will be available through an opt-out toggle in the Search Console tool. This way, publishers can decide if their websites should be included in these advanced generative AI search features.
Impact on visibility
What happens if a site opts out?
If a site opts out of these features, it won't get any traffic or impressions from AI Overviews, AI Mode, or AI Overviews in Google Discover. However, the site will still be visible in regular Google Search results and the Discover feed. This new feature only applies to certain Google Search products and does not affect the Gemini app.
No impact on ranking
New generative AI search stats in Search Console
Google has clarified that using this opt-out won't affect a site's visibility in regular Search results. The company has also announced new generative AI Search stats for website publishers in the Search Console. These insights will include metrics such as impressions, which pages are included in AI responses, and the countries where these responses are shown.
User base
AI Overviews and AI Mode usage stats
Google has also revealed that its AI Overviews feature now has over 2.5 billion monthly active users, while the AI Mode has more than one billion monthly users. The tech giant is also increasing the number of links shown in these AI results. The new control and metrics are being rolled out for a "subset" of website owners in the UK for thorough testing before global rollout.