June 2026: Google offers an AI Overviews opt-out after CMA pressure

Covers June 2026. Part of our search timeline: a month-by-month look at the changes that shaped SEO, AI search, paid ads and social media, written in November 2026 for local businesses with the benefit of hindsight.

You are reading one chapter of our search timeline. Writing in November 2026, we revisit each month’s biggest shifts in Google, AI tools, paid advertising and social platforms.

Publishers had pushed hard for this kind of control. For a local electrician or cleaning company, though, the question is very different, because AI answers are increasingly where new customers find you.

What Google announced in June 2026

According to Google, the setting applies to AI Overviews, AI Mode and the AI features in Discover. Google said it would not treat the choice as a ranking signal.

The opt-out does not reach the Gemini app or the use of content for AI training. Those are handled by separate controls.

Why local service businesses should think twice

UK publishers gained more say over how their content is used. For most other businesses, however, AI answers have become one of the main routes customers take to find a supplier.

Picture someone asking Google which roofers cover their village. If you opt out, you are simply leaving that spot for a competitor to fill.

How to decide whether to opt out

• Before you touch the setting, ask whether your income comes from page views or from enquiries and jobs. For trades it is almost always the latter.
• Find out how often your business is currently mentioned in AI answers.
• If you do trial an opt-out, monitor clicks, calls and enquiries for a minimum of two months.

Frequently asked questions

Does opting out harm my ordinary Google rankings?

Google says the setting is not used as a ranking signal. You will, however, lose any traffic that came through AI features.

Will opting out prevent my content being used to train AI?

No. AI training is managed separately through robots.txt tokens, Google-Extended being one example.

Sources and further reading

• SiliconANGLE: the UK tells Google to give publishers an AI Overviews opt-out
• 9to5Google: websites can now opt out of AI Mode and AI Overviews

Want help with this? We help trades and local businesses track and grow their visibility in AI Overviews, AI Mode and ChatGPT. See our AI search and GEO service or Get in touch.