By Matt G. Southern
Publication Date: 2026-09-19 12:30:00
Welcome to the Pulse: this week, updates change what Google pays for, what Search Console reports about AI results, and how a site blocks AI training without losing search.
Here’s what matters for you and your work.
Mueller Says AI Position Data Is Hard To Report Usefully
Google’s John Mueller said that search has evolved beyond the traditional position one-to-ten model, and it’s quite a challenge to adapt that to AI results.
Key facts:
Mueller responded to a Reddit discussion about the report, which rolled out worldwide on August 31, and noted that tracking position is “hard to do in a way that makes it useful.” An impression is recorded when the feature appears on the page served, regardless of user scrolls, whereas links behind Show More aren’t counted until expanded. The report relies on existing Web search data instead of adding new information.
Why This Matters
The generative AI report doesn’t give positions at all. In the Search performance data underneath…
