Google Admits Its AI Search Reporting Isn't Working – Here’s Why That Matters

Search Engine Journal recently reported that Google’s own John Mueller agreed the company’s Search Console reports for AI search are not up to the job. He confirmed that measuring where a link appears inside an AI-generated answer is extremely difficult, and that the current system relies on old ideas about “position” and “impressions” that no longer fit how people actually use search.

This matters because thousands of Australian small and mid-sized businesses depend on Google Search Console to know if their websites are being seen. If the data is misleading – counting impressions even when a user never scrolls far enough to see the link, or hiding a site’s true exposure behind a “Show More” button – then businesses are making decisions based on a broken measuring tape.

What the Old SEO Numbers Miss in the Age of AI Search

For years, the goal was simple: get your website to position one in the “ten blue links.” But AI search – things like Google AI Overviews and AI Mode – changes everything. A link can appear inside an AI summary that pops up at the top of the page, and that link’s “position” in Search Console is actually the position of the entire AI block, not where your site sits within it. That means a business could think it’s ranking third when it’s actually buried inside a long AI answer.

Even worse, the impression count can be inflated. Google counts an impression as soon as the AI summary appears on screen, even if the user never looks at it. On the flip side, links hidden behind a “Show More” button are not counted at all until someone clicks to expand. So you might be getting more visibility than the report shows, or less – and you have no way to tell which.

Google’s own representative admitted that mapping old metrics to new AI search is “hard to do in a way that makes it useful.” For businesses trying to invest wisely in SEO, this uncertainty is a real problem.

What This Means for Australian SMBs

For a local business in Sydney or a regional manufacturer in Queensland, Search Console is often the main source of truth for website performance. If the AI search data is unreliable, owners might pull back on content that is actually driving AI citations, or they might double down on tactics that look good in reports but don’t lead to real customers.

Australian SMBs also face a unique challenge: they compete with global giants for the same AI summaries. Without clear reporting, it’s easy to waste time chasing irrelevant “positions” while missing the real opportunity – getting your business included in the AI answer that a local customer reads on their phone.

What You Can Do Now

  • Don’t trust the AI search reports alone. Compare your Search Console data with real user behaviour from your website analytics (like Google Analytics). Look for actual clicks and conversions, not just impressions.
  • Focus on answering questions clearly. AI search engines pull from well-structured, helpful content. Write pages that directly answer a customer’s question in plain language, using headings and lists that a machine can easily read.
  • Track AI-specific traffic separately. Set up a custom segment in your analytics tool to monitor visits coming from AI Overviews or AI Mode sessions. This gives you a more honest picture than Search Console’s filtered report.
  • Keep your content fresh. AI models update often. Regularly review and update your most important pages to stay relevant in AI summaries.
  • Ask for expert help. If the reports don’t make sense, talk to an SEO partner who understands AI search and can interpret the data correctly for your business.

MS&VG specialises in AI-powered SEO services designed for Australian small and mid-sized businesses. We help you cut through confusing reports and focus on what actually drives customers to your site. If you’re tired of guessing what your search data really means, we can show you a clearer path forward.