Google brings AI Mode metrics to Search Console

Google has recently introduced a major shift in how it tracks search activity: data from AI Mode is now reflected in Google Search Console. This update means content shown within Google’s generative AI search experience is starting to factor into traditional performance metrics like clicks, impressions, and average position.

This change goes beyond a simple reporting tweak – it reflects a deeper evolution in how search visibility is defined, tracked, and ultimately, optimised.

Websites whose content features in AI Mode generated results will now see that exposure show up in their Search Console performance reports. This includes:

• Impressions: Your content appearing in an AI Mode response now contributes to your impression count.
• Clicks: When a user interacts with an external link from within AI Mode, it registers as a click.
• Position: Rather than assigning AI results a single unified ranking, each element – whether it’s a link snippet, image, or content block – is measured based on Google’s regular ranking logic.

And when someone asks a follow-up within AI Mode? That counts as a brand new search, with fresh metrics tied to the new query.

However, there’s a catch: while this data is included in Search Console, you can’t yet filter or isolate AI Mode performance separately. For site owners trying to understand exactly where their traffic is coming from, that presents a real challenge.

The addition of AI Mode tracking is one example of how AI is becoming foundational to how search operates. Google is also currently piloting a feature that delivers audio summaries of search results, generated by its Gemini AI model.

These brief clips are accessible for users who have Search Labs enabled.  are displayed as prompts directly within the results page, with users choosing to play the audio-generated summary if they wish. Beneath each clip, Google displays related web content, offering users a path to explore more deeply – if they want to. It’s a fresh take on how search results are consumed, and another signal that Google is layering AI more heavily into the search journey.

Adding AI Mode data into Search Console is a clear step toward greater transparency, but it also highlights how traditional performance metrics are becoming less straightforward. As AI continues to shape how users interact with search results, understanding where your content appears – and how it’s framed – is more important than ever.

The rise of audio answers, AI summaries, and layered search experiences shows that Google is reimagining what it means to “rank.” Success in this new environment means optimising not just for blue links, but for AI exposure, context relevance, and new interaction models.

With AI Mode data now feeding into your core metrics, it’s clear that generative AI is no longer a side experiment – it’s baked into the architecture of search. Whether it’s spoken responses, visual summaries, or carousel-style results, AI is changing how users engage – and how you measure success.

Make sure you’re paying attention, because this isn’t a test phase. It’s the next phase of search.

If you want to get ahead in AI Search, get in touch with our innovation team.