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AI and search news for Canadian businesses: November 2026

Google finished a spam update on October 8, and its AI answers are adding more links to websites. Google and OpenAI also said they plan to support a shared way to opt out of AI training, but not yet. Ads are spreading into AI answers too. Nothing here needs urgent action from a small business. A few quick checks are listed below.

By Best Rated Company · 5 minute read

Key takeaways
  • Google said its September spam update finished on October 8, so any change in your enquiries from Google around then may be linked to it.
  • Google is adding more links inside its AI answers, but it has not said any business will get more visitors from them.
  • The shared opt-out for AI training is only a plan for now, so there is nothing you need to change on your website.
  • Ads are appearing in AI answers, they are labeled, and you do not need to buy them.

Want to know where your own website stands? Our free check reads it the way Google and AI assistants do and tells you in about ten seconds what it can and cannot see. The full report is C$12, paid once, with no subscription.

Did Google's September spam update change my rankings?

Google said its September 2026 spam update began on September 24 and was complete on October 8. It applies worldwide and to all languages. The status page text we saw does not explain what the update targeted.

What this means for you. If your calls or enquiries from Google went up or down between those dates, this update may be one reason. It may not be the only one. Nothing in the announcement tells you to fix anything. If you want to know how Google reads a site, our guide on how Google reads your website titles and pages is a good place to start.

Source: Google Search Status: Incident details,

Will Google's AI answers send more people to my website?

Google said on October 15 that it is showing more inline links in its AI answers. Inline links are links placed inside the words of the answer. It is also testing a section at the top for the official web page where someone can complete a task. News boxes in AI answers are being rolled out to more places.

What this means for you. These changes could make it easier for people to click through to a website. Google did not say any business will get more visitors. The official-page test is still only a test. It is a reminder that your own site should clearly show who you are and how to reach you. See how AI assistants choose which businesses to name and why contact details and trust signals matter.

Source: Google: AI Mode and AI Overviews updates to explore the web,

Do I need to change anything about how AI companies use my website?

On October 30, Google and OpenAI each said they plan to support a shared setting in robots.txt. That is a small file on a website that tells automated visitors what they may use. The setting would let a site say it does not want its content used to train AI, in one step for all taking part. Google aims to support it in 2027, and OpenAI said in the coming months. Search Engine Journal reported on November 1 that none of the companies supports it yet.

What this means for you. You do not need to do anything now. Most small businesses have never touched this file. Google said sites that specifically allow its AI control are eligible to appear in Gemini answers. Search Engine Journal reported that Microsoft says its restrictions can reduce a brand's visibility in AI answers. If you ever think about blocking, ask your web person first, because there may be a cost.

Sources: Google Search Central: Supporting a shared AI training control for websites, ; OpenAI: Making it easier for websites to express AI training preferences, ; Search Engine Journal: Google, Microsoft & OpenAI Plan To Honor Shared AI Training Opt-Out,

Are ads showing up in AI answers, and should I pay for them?

OpenAI said on October 21 that ChatGPT Ads is now available in 89 countries, after adding 26. The part of the post we saw did not name Canada. OpenAI says ads are clearly labeled, separate from answers, and do not influence what ChatGPT says. Search Engine Roundtable reported on October 30 that Bing may be showing ads in its AI answers, based on one screenshot from a reader that the writer could not repeat.

What this means for you. An ad is a separate thing from being mentioned in an answer. If you ever think about paying for ads, treat it like any other advertising and decide a budget you can afford. We do not sell ads or recommend any ad service. The Bing report is unconfirmed, so there is no need to act on it.

Sources: OpenAI: ChatGPT Ads expands to 26 new countries as over 100,000 advertisers have used the platform, ; Search Engine Roundtable: Microsoft Bing Showing Ads Within Copilot AI Overviews,

Should I block Google's AI features from showing my website?

Search Engine Roundtable reported on October 30 on a small case study by Cyrus Shepard, who blocked one site from Google's AI answers for a time. He estimated that about 0.9% of views in those AI answers led to a click. He also said regular clicks dropped while the site was blocked. The writer called it a very limited study with a small sample.

What this means for you. One site is not proof of anything for yours. The result does not suggest that blocking helps, and the study shows only that blocking can have side effects. If you have never changed these settings, there is nothing to do.

Source: Search Engine Roundtable: Google AI Overviews & AI Mode 0.9% Click-Through Rate Says Small Opt Out...,

What should you do this month?

  1. Search for your business name and main service on Google. Check that your phone number, address and hours are right wherever they appear.
  2. Make sure your website's home page says plainly who you are, what you do, where you work and how to call you.
  3. Run our free website check to see what Google and AI assistants can and cannot read on your site.
  4. Leave any AI or robots.txt settings as they are unless your web person has a clear reason to change them.
  5. Note your enquiries from October and compare them with earlier months, so you know if the spam update changed anything for you.

Questions people ask

What is robots.txt?
It is a small text file on a website that tells automated visitors, such as search engines, which parts of the site they may use. Many sites made with website builders have one without the owner ever editing it. Most small businesses never need to change it.
What is an AI Overview?
It is a short answer written by AI that a search engine sometimes shows above the usual list of results. It often includes links to the websites it drew on. Which searches show one can change from time to time.
Can I pay to be named in AI answers?
Ads can appear in some AI tools, and they are labeled as ads. Nobody can guarantee that an assistant will name your business in an answer. We do not sell AI visibility. Clear, accurate details on your website are the best thing you can offer.

Sources and dates

The stories come from the sources listed above, and an AI tool drafts the write-up. A person read and approved this post before it was published. It is general information, not advice for your own business. Figures, names and dates come from the pages above; check them there before you rely on them.

Read more in our guide

See an example reportA whole health check report for an invented business, section by section. The Website Health Check GuideWhat every part of your report means, in plain words, with a short glossary. Being recommended by AI assistantsHow ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity choose who to name, and what you can change. Being found on GoogleTitles, descriptions, headings, sitemaps, and how to read the searches you already appear for.

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