Bojan Cincur 
You log into the Search Console, spot a sudden jump in impressions, and pause.
Is your content suddenly ranking better? Did Google roll out an update? Or is something else behind the spike?
Turns out, it might be Google AI Mode.
Google just confirmed that clicks, impressions, and positions from its new AI-powered search experience, AI Mode, are now counted in your Search Console reports. It’s a major step in tracking how AI affects visibility.
But there’s a catch. All that AI Mode data is blended right into your regular performance numbers. No filter. No breakdown. No way to tell if that increase came from classic search or a carousel buried in an AI response.
If you rely on Search Console to guide your SEO decisions (and you should, because 68% of online experiences begin with a search engine and over 92% of global traffic comes from Google Search, Images, and Maps), this change matters. If you don’t understand what’s happening, you could easily misread your metrics, or worse, misguide your entire strategy.
Let’s break down what Google AI Mode is, how it’s changing the data you see, and what you can actually do about it.
What Is Google AI Mode And Why Does It Matter?
Google AI Mode is the latest evolution in how Google delivers search results, and it’s a big shift from the classic list of ten blue links.
Instead of showing you one set of results, AI Mode breaks your question into smaller subtopics using what Google calls “query fan-out.” It then searches each subtopic at the same time and builds a more interactive answer. Think of it as a smarter, more layered version of AI Overviews, one that encourages users to explore deeper, ask follow-up questions, and (sometimes) click through to your site.
This means your content can now show up in new places, in new formats, and in response to different versions of a query, all without you even realizing it.
And here’s the part that matters: Google AI Mode is now live for U.S. users, and Google just confirmed that it’s tracking impressions, clicks, and positions from this feature inside Search Console.
But what’s showing up in your performance report doesn’t come with a label. And that’s where things get complicated.
Google AI Mode Is Changing Your Data
Now that Google AI Mode is live, your content can appear in entirely new places: scrollable cards, image packs, side panels, or tucked into a multi-part AI response. And whether you notice it or not, all of it is being counted in Search Console.
But here’s the twist: none of it is labeled as AI Mode traffic. It’s all mixed in with your regular “Web” totals. That means the metrics you rely on to track performance are now carrying extra weight, without any way to separate what came from classic search results compared to this new AI layer.
Here’s How It Works Behind the Scenes
If someone clicks a link to your site within an AI Mode response, Google counts that as a standard click. If your page appears anywhere in that response, whether it’s highlighted in a link card or buried in a carousel, it’s logged as an impression. And just like in traditional search, every element is assigned a position based on where it appears. Even carousels and image blocks follow the same ranking logic.
Also, when a user interacts with AI Mode and asks something new, Google treats it as a brand-new query. That means your content can be surfaced again, and all associated metrics (clicks, impressions, position) start over from scratch.
In theory, it’s great to have this data included. In practice, it’s a headache. You can’t filter it. You can’t isolate it. And unless you already knew to look for it, you wouldn’t even realize AI Mode was behind the changes in your reports.
Blended Data, Blurred Insights
Without a way to separate AI Mode traffic, your performance numbers can start telling the wrong story.
You might see a sudden rise in impressions and assume your content is gaining traction, when in reality, it’s just showing up in an AI-generated carousel that no one’s clicking. Or maybe your average position drops, and you start rewriting blog posts that were never the problem in the first place.
That’s the risk: drawing the wrong conclusions and optimizing for the wrong thing.
Search Console still matters, but its reports are harder to interpret with AI Mode mixed in. You can’t tell which interactions are happening in traditional search results and which are happening inside AI Mode, and that disconnect makes it harder to measure, optimize, and explain performance.
What You Can Do About It
You can’t filter for Google AI Mode in Search Console, and you can’t isolate its impact, but there are still smart ways to respond.
Here’s how to stay in control, even when the data isn’t:
Focus on Clarity and Structure
AI Mode favors content that’s scannable, well-organized, and directly answers the user’s question. That means clear headings, bullet points, and tight copy aren’t just good UX, they’re also good AI strategy.
Watch Your Informational Content
Top-of-funnel pages like guides, FAQs, and explainer posts are more likely to show up in AI-generated responses. Monitor performance shifts on these pages, even if you can’t confirm exactly where the traffic is coming from.
Control Where Your Content Appears
If you’d rather your content stay out of AI Mode responses, you can apply tags like nosnippet, max-snippet, or noindex. But use them with care. They don’t just block AI, they reduce your presence in traditional results, too.
Build on What’s Already Working
Google insists its best practices haven’t changed, and for now, that still holds up. Prioritize helpful, high-quality content created with real users in mind. AI Mode doesn’t replace SEO fundamentals; it just adds another layer.
Turn Uncertainty Into Strategy
Google AI Mode is changing how people search and how your content shows up. But instead of giving SEOs better visibility, Google has added more complexity without offering clear ways to track it.
You can’t see AI Mode traffic directly. You can’t break it out in reports. But you can account for it, prepare for it, and build content that holds up, no matter how search evolves.
At Zlurad, we help brands make sense of shifts like this. From adapting your content structure to strengthening the technical foundation behind your strategy, we make sure your visibility doesn’t depend on guesswork.
Want to know if your site’s ready for AI-powered search? Get your free technical SEO report and see what’s helping, and what might be holding you back.