Does GA4 Show Google AI Mode as a Referrer? How to Track AI Traffic in GA4

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly changing how people discover content online. Tools like Google AI Mode (AI Overviews), ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Microsoft Copilot are not just answering questions - they’re also sending traffic to websites.

That leaves a big question for marketers: does Google Analytics 4 (GA4) show Google AI Mode and other AI tools as traffic sources?

The short answer: GA4 does not currently label Google AI Mode as a distinct referrer. Most traffic from AI Overviews is categorized as Organic Search or Direct. But the good news is: many AI tools do pass referral data, and you can capture it by creating filters and custom channel groups inside GA4.

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Why Google AI Mode Traffic Doesn’t Show Up in GA4

When users click links inside Google’s AI Overviews, those links often include a “no referrer” attribute. That means the site receiving the click doesn’t get referrer data, so GA4 cannot tell it came from “Google AI.”

Instead, those visits usually show up as:

• Organic Search, if GA4 can still associate the session with a Google search query.
  
• Direct, if all referral information is stripped.
  

This makes Google AI Mode traffic essentially invisible as its own category. Frustrating for marketers like you and me!

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Which AI Tools Do Show Up as Referrers

While Google AI Mode traffic is hidden, several AI platforms do pass referral information into GA4. Examples include:

• chat.openai.com (ChatGPT)
  
• gemini.google.com (Google Gemini)
  
• copilot.microsoft.com (Copilot)
  
• perplexity.ai (Perplexity)
  
• writesonic.com (Writesonic)
  
• claude.ai (Anthropic Claude)
  

These appear under Session Source / Medium in GA4 as referral traffic. That means you can build filters to track them directly.

How to Track AI Referral Traffic in GA4 - Step-by-Step

Here’s a simple step-by-step process to see which AI tools are sending you traffic.

1. Open GA4 and Start an Exploration

• Go to Explore → Blank Exploration.
  
• Select Session Source / Medium as a dimension.
  
• Add Sessions as your metric (or Engaged Sessions, Conversions, etc. depending on your goals).
  
  

2. Create a Custom Segment

• Under Segments, click + New Segment → Session Segment.
  
• Name it something like “AI Sources.”

3. Add a Regex Filter

• For the condition, choose:
  
  
  • Dimension: Session Source
    
  • Match Type: Matches regex
    
  • Value: paste in the regex below.
    

Here’s a copy-paste ready regex that catches the most common AI referral sources:

(?i).*(openai|chatgpt|copilot|perplexity|claude|anthropic|writesonic|poe|neeva|nimble|bnngpt|edgeservices|gemini\.google|bard\.google|google.*bard|bard.*google|gemini.*google|gpt\b).*

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4. Save the Exploration

• Once filtered, GA4 will show you only traffic sessions where the referrer matched one of those AI tools.
  
• Save the exploration so you can revisit it anytime.

Bonus: Create an “AI Referrals” Channel in GA4

If you want AI traffic to show up as its own line item in your standard reports:

1. Go to Admin → Data Display → Channel Groups.
   
2. Duplicate the Default Channel Group.
   
3. Add a new channel, e.g. “AI Referrals.”
   
4. Set the condition: Source matches regex (use the regex above).
   
5. Move it above “Referral” so GA4 assigns traffic correctly.
   
6. Save.
   
   

Now AI traffic will appear in your Acquisition reports just like “Organic Search,” “Referral,” or “Paid Search.”

Limitations to Keep in Mind

• Google AI Mode (AI Overviews) doesn’t currently send referrer data, so you can’t see it as its own source.
  
• Some AI tools may change their referrer structure over time - so you’ll need to update your regex periodically.
  
• If users copy and paste links from AI tools, those visits often show up as Direct traffic.
  

Why Tracking AI Traffic Matters

Even if numbers are small right now, knowing which AI tools send you traffic helps you:

• Understand content discovery trends (e.g. which pages are cited by ChatGPT vs. Gemini).
  
• Measure engagement from AI referrals vs. other sources.
  
• Report more accurately by breaking out AI traffic instead of lumping it under generic “Referrals” or “Direct.”Measure engagement from AI referrals vs. other sources.
  
• Understand where to invest your SEO/AEO efforts (hint: using an agency like Long Weekend will get you to the top of AI search results)
  

As AI search and assistants grow, so will this traffic. Getting your setup right now gives you a head start.

Conclusion

So, does GA4 show Google AI Mode as a referrer?
Not today. Traffic from Google AI Overviews usually shows as Organic or Direct.

But by using regex filters and custom channel groups, you can track traffic from other AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Copilot.

Try adding the regex filter to your GA4 today and see which AI platforms are already sending visitors to your site. And, get in touch with our team about getting your company to the top of AI (and organic) search results.