Google handed website owners a way out of AI answers and the data to judge whether to take it, while the platforms made plain that the answer layer is where search is heading. Here is what changed on 2 June, and what to do about it.
The AI Surface Gets an Off-Switch
Google is testing publisher controls over AI answers, and finally giving teams the numbers to use them.
- Google adds AI Mode opt-out toggle and impression data to Search Console A subset of UK domain owners can now exit AI Overviews and AI Mode while keeping their place in classic Search, and Google says the toggle is not a ranking signal. A new generative AI performance report shows impressions and which pages appear in AI answers, so the opt-out decision can finally rest on data instead of guesswork. Run the report for a month before touching the toggle.
The Machine Takes the Wheel
Two moves on the same day point one way: the platforms are absorbing both the controls and the clicks.
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Google Ads updates its Terms of Service for AI automation New terms effective 1 July formalize Google’s authority to format, select, and generate campaign elements from advertiser inputs, including what you type into conversational tools, while you keep full responsibility for the result. Document which inputs you feed those tools before the deadline.
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Microsoft concedes AI search cuts clicks to websites In a webinar, a Microsoft generative AI lead acknowledged on a slide that AI answers summarize results and reduce clicks and visits, candor from a platform that profits from those same surfaces. Rebuild your reporting around how often you are cited inside answers, not just sessions.
Today’s Quick Hits
- May 2026 core update completes after 12 days Google confirmed the rollout finished on 2 June, with one more big volatility spike on the way out. Compare the week after completion against the week before launch, segment by page type, and wait before reacting.