The generative AI performance report update that many site owners have been waiting for is now confirmed. On 31 August 2026, Google completed a worldwide rollout of the report inside Google Search Console, making it available to every verified property globally. If you checked your Search Console before that date and saw an empty report, it is worth logging back in now. For the full walkthrough of what the report does and how to read it, see our complete guide here.
Generative AI Performance Report Update: What Changed on 31 August 2026
The generative AI performance report update marks the end of the phased rollout that Google began earlier in 2026. Previously, only a subset of properties could access the report, and many site owners — particularly smaller sites and UK-based GP practices — opened Search Console to find nothing there. That staggered access is now finished. According to Google’s Search Central blog, the report is now live for all verified properties worldwide, regardless of site size or region.
Additionally, the report now surfaces impressions data for pages that appear inside Google’s AI Overviews. This means you can finally see which of your pages are being pulled into AI-generated answers, and how often those answers are shown. For practice managers tracking local SEO for GP practices, this is a meaningful new signal to monitor.
- The report is now visible in Search Console for every property worldwide
- Impressions data reflects how often your pages appear in AI Overviews
- No account changes or special access requests are needed
- The report sits under the Search Results section of Search Console
What the Generative AI Performance Report Still Does Not Show
Despite the generative AI performance report update, the data available inside the report has not changed from its original launch limitations. The report currently shows impressions only. There are no clicks, no click-through rate figures, and no position data. This is a significant gap. Site owners can see that their content is appearing inside AI Overviews, but they cannot yet tell whether those appearances are driving any traffic at all.
Furthermore, this limitation is not accidental. Google has been deliberate about what data it shares from AI-generated results, and impressions without clicks makes it difficult to calculate any meaningful return from AI visibility. For teams already tracking AI visibility metrics in Gemini, this gap will feel familiar.
- No click data is available in the current report
- No CTR figures can be calculated from impressions alone
- No ranking position is shown for AI Overview appearances
- Impressions remain the only metric currently reported
The UK Regulatory Angle: What the CMA Is Pushing For
The generative AI performance report update arrives at a moment of increased regulatory scrutiny in the UK. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has set Google a deadline of March 2027 to introduce page-level opt-out controls for AI search. Currently, site owners can only control their participation in AI-generated results at the property level, using the Search Generative AI control in Search Console. The CMA considers this too blunt an instrument, and wants publishers to be able to opt specific pages in or out.
Separately, the CMA is pushing for click-through data to be included in what Google reports to site owners. The authority’s position is that withholding click data makes it impossible for publishers to assess the commercial impact of AI Overviews on their organic traffic. This is a regulatory development to watch closely, not a confirmed feature. However, if the CMA’s March 2027 deadline is met, the data available inside Search Console could look substantially different by mid-2027.
What the CMA Has Asked Google to Introduce
- Page-level opt-out controls for AI search results, not just property-level
- Click-through data alongside impressions inside Search Console reporting
- A deadline of March 2027 for these changes to be in place
- Greater transparency over how AI Overviews select and use publisher content
What UK Site Owners Should Actually Do Differently Right Now
The generative AI performance report update does not require any immediate operational changes for most UK site owners. However, the combination of the worldwide rollout and the CMA’s regulatory timeline makes this a sensible moment to start building a baseline. If you begin recording your impressions data now, you will have a meaningful comparison point when and if click data becomes available in 2027.
For GP practices and PCNs, this is also worth framing as a patient visibility issue. Your pages may already be appearing inside AI Overviews when patients search for health information. Knowing which pages are surfaced is useful context, even without click data. Teams working on SEO and AEO for GP practices should treat the impressions report as an early audit of which content is considered credible enough to appear in AI-generated answers.
- Log into Search Console now and confirm the report is visible for your property
- Record your current impressions figures as a baseline for future comparison
- Note which pages are already appearing inside AI Overviews
- Bookmark the CMA’s March 2027 deadline as a point to review again
- The generative AI performance report update does not require any structural site changes today
Practical Next Step: Check Your Report Now
The most immediate action from the generative AI performance report update is simple. If you checked the report before 31 August 2026 and saw nothing, log back into Google Search Console and check again. The report should now be visible under your Search Results data. If your site has pages that appear in AI Overviews, impressions will be showing there.
For sites with very low traffic or narrow topical focus, the numbers may still be small. That is not a problem with access. It simply reflects how frequently those pages are being surfaced in AI-generated results. The important thing is that the data is now there, and you can begin tracking it consistently going forward.
| Feature | Available Now | Potentially Available by Mid-2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Impressions in AI Overviews | Yes — worldwide rollout complete | Already available |
| Click data from AI Overviews | No | Possible, subject to CMA deadline |
| Click-through rate (CTR) | No | Possible, subject to CMA deadline |
| Page-level AI opt-out | No — property level only | Possible, subject to CMA March 2027 deadline |
| Position data in AI results | No | Not confirmed |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the generative AI performance report available for every website now?
Yes. As of 31 August 2026, the generative AI performance report update confirmed a worldwide rollout. The report is now available inside Google Search Console for every verified property globally. No special access or application is required. If you previously saw an empty report, it is worth checking your Search Console again now.
Does the report include click data yet?
No. The generative AI performance report update did not add click data. The report currently shows impressions only. There is no click, CTR, or position data available. The CMA is separately pushing Google to include click-through data, but this has not been confirmed as a feature and is subject to ongoing regulatory discussions with a March 2027 deadline.
What is the CMA asking Google to change?
The Competition and Markets Authority is asking Google to introduce two main changes. First, page-level opt-out controls for AI search, so publishers can manage individual pages rather than entire properties. Second, click-through data to be included in Search Console reporting. The CMA has set a deadline of March 2027 for these changes. These are regulatory demands, not confirmed Google product announcements.
When will page-level AI opt-out controls be available?
Page-level AI opt-out controls are not available yet. Currently, site owners can only control AI Overview participation at the property level. The CMA has asked Google to introduce more granular, page-level controls by March 2027. Whether Google will meet that deadline, and exactly how it will implement the change, has not been confirmed at the time of writing.
Should I change how I publish content because of this update?
No immediate structural changes are needed as a result of the generative AI performance report update. The most useful action right now is to open Search Console, confirm the report is visible, and record your current impressions as a baseline. The regulatory changes expected in 2027 may create new decisions to make, but nothing operational needs to change today.
