Google is rolling out a new Search Console setting that gives site owners more control over how their content appears in its AI-powered search experiences. The update lets publishers remove their material from AI Overviews, AI Mode, and AI features in Discover without dropping out of regular Google Search results.
That makes this a more targeted choice than many businesses have had before. Instead of accepting or rejecting broader search visibility, companies can now decide whether they want their pages used in Google’s AI search features while still remaining available through standard listings.
The timing matters because Top Stories are now appearing inside AI Overviews, increasing the visibility of Google’s AI answers and raising new questions for publishers, news sites, and brands. For some, the issue is whether AI placements help exposure; for others, the concern is whether those features reduce clicks that might otherwise go to their own pages.
Before making a decision, businesses may want to review the search performance they already depend on and monitor how traffic and visibility change as Google expands AI features. The new control gives publishers a way to test their approach more carefully, rather than treating Google Search and Google’s AI experiences as the same thing.
