AI

Google’s new AI Mode in Search is making waves—not for its capabilities, but for the data it’s not sharing. SEO experts and digital marketers are raising alarms about a concerning development: clicks originating from AI Mode are currently untrackable. Whether it’s Google Search Console or third-party analytics platforms, the traffic from this new search layer appears to be cloaked in complete invisibility.

What’s Really Happening
The issue came to light when Tom Critchlow, EVP of audience growth at Raptive, flagged discrepancies in click data. The problem was soon confirmed by Patrick Stox of Ahrefs, who found that clicks from AI Mode links do not appear in Search Console. Even worse, standard analytics platforms classify such visits as either Direct or Unknown. The culprit? The use of the noreferrer attribute on AI Mode links, which effectively strips all referral information that could have identified the source.

The Industry Reacts: Is This ‘Not Provided’ All Over Again?
Veteran SEO strategist Lily Ray called it “Not Provided 2.0”, drawing a parallel to Google’s earlier move to encrypt keyword data. Her theory is straightforward: Google does not want the public or publishers to know how little traffic AI Mode actually drives. Without access to hard data, claims of AI Mode enhancing web traffic remain unverifiable. That lack of transparency is breeding mistrust, especially when Google continues to tout that AI is improving the quality of search visits.

Google’s Mixed Messaging
Google has not fully clarified whether this lack of visibility is intentional or a glitch. Its official help documentation claims AI features—including AI Mode and Overviews—are included in overall traffic reports in Search Console. Yet, when one examines the detailed documentation, there is no mention of AI Mode at all. Only AI Overviews are referenced.

Adding to the confusion, a recent Google blog post encouraged site owners to “focus less on clicks” and more on the “overall value” of visits. It seems to suggest a broader shift away from click-through metrics as a core indicator of success. But without any clear alternatives offered, marketers are left without the tools they need to measure performance accurately.

A Fix Coming Soon?
In a comment on LinkedIn, Google’s John Mueller acknowledged the issue and noted that he had already passed it on to the internal team. However, he offered no confirmation on whether the lack of visibility is a bug or an intentional design choice. As of now, site owners, analysts, and SEO professionals remain in the dark.

What This Means for Publishers and Marketers
The lack of referrer data from AI Mode is more than an inconvenience—it’s a fundamental barrier to data-driven decision-making. In an environment where content performance and user behavior should guide strategy, hiding traffic sources makes it nearly impossible to allocate resources wisely or understand user journeys.

While AI continues to reshape how information is presented, the silence surrounding its impact on traffic raises uncomfortable questions. For a company that once built its empire on the promise of transparency and reliable search metrics, this new direction feels like a step backward.

Until clarity emerges or Google restores visibility, the clicks from AI Mode will remain in the shadows, leaving publishers with more questions than answers.