# How to read AI referral traffic in GA4 > Use GA4’s AI Assistant channel, check source/medium, and reconcile known QA visits. Includes a worked review and reusable worksheet. By George Kelly · Published 2026-09-06 · Updated 2026-09-06 Canonical: https://www.iamgeorgekelly.com/field-guide/ga4-ai-referral-traffic ## Short answer Start with GA4’s AI Assistant channel, then inspect session source/medium. Report the recorded sessions and any verified classification gaps separately. They can show visits attributed to assistant sources; they cannot count every AI-influenced visit, identify every citation, or measure crawler activity. ## Start with the native channel Google added the AI Assistant default channel on May 13, 2026. Recognized assistant referrers receive medium ai-assistant and campaign (ai-assistant). Use the current channel definition before maintaining your own list. Google AI Overviews and AI Mode are excluded from this channel and remain Organic Search. An AI Assistant row therefore does not represent all traffic influenced by Google’s AI features. Sources: [Google Analytics: AI Assistant channel release](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/9164320?hl=en#05132026); [Google Analytics: Default channel group](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/9756891?hl=en) ## Read sessions and their sources In Google Analytics, choose Reports → Acquisition → Traffic acquisition. A customized property may place the report elsewhere or omit it. If it is missing, an editor can restore it to the report navigation. Choose complete dates and record the property timezone. In the table, use Session default channel group and find AI Assistant. Add Session source / medium as a secondary dimension. Record Sessions and Engaged sessions. Keep session dimensions throughout; First user source answers a different acquisition question. - Save the date range, timezone, report dimensions, filters, and extraction time with the export. - Inspect Referral separately for candidate assistant sources. Confirm each identity before classifying it; preserve the original source/medium. - If the row or report is unavailable, record unavailable. A missing row alone does not establish zero visits. Sources: [Google Analytics: Traffic acquisition report](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/12923437?hl=en) ## Reconcile a small report This fictional 28-day example uses reserved example hostnames, not a list of services GA4 recognizes. The three rows represent disjoint sets of sessions. The third is assumed to have independent evidence that its source is an assistant. The native channel has 32 recorded sessions. Three identifiable QA sessions leave 29. A separate Referral row has four sessions, including one known QA session, leaving three more for the reviewed assistant category. Report 29 native plus 3 reviewed referrals: 32 in total. Keep both components visible. Only subtract QA when the report and a QA record support that exclusion. If your own visits cannot be isolated, label the period contaminated instead of estimating a deduction. Multiple sessions can belong to one person. | Synthetic source / medium | Recorded | Known QA | Reviewed | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | assistant-a.example / ai-assistant | 20 | 2 | 18 | | assistant-b.example / ai-assistant | 12 | 1 | 11 | | assistant-c.example / referral | 4 | 1 | 3 | [Download the illustrative review worksheet (CSV)](https://www.iamgeorgekelly.com/downloads/ai-referral-review.csv) ## Keep the useful outcome separate Suppose the fictional inquiry log records one relevant professional inquiry linked to one reviewed session. Report one qualified inquiry with that evidence. A contact-link click alone would not establish that an inquiry was sent or qualified. The worksheet includes evidence and unresolved-gap columns. Replace the example rows before using it. Keep private contact details and user-level analytics out of public reports. [Download the example, rules, and blank row (JSON)](https://www.iamgeorgekelly.com/downloads/ai-referral-review.json) ## Investigate gaps without rewriting the history Keep the native channel as the reference. If a verified assistant referrer lands elsewhere, record the hostname, supporting evidence, date checked, and original classification. A documented custom grouping can support a separate analysis when the gap warrants it. Do not infer assistant origins from Direct traffic, use a crawler user-agent list as a referrer list, or combine a custom grouping with the same native sessions twice. Note any collection or classification change beside period comparisons. Sources: [Google Analytics: Default channel group](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/9756891?hl=en) ## State what remains unknown Consent choices and missing referrers can leave visits unobserved or unattributed. Analytics sessions are a proxy for visits, not verified unique people. Crawler requests belong in request logs; citations belong in recorded answers with source links. Compare complete periods only after reporting has settled. Keep known QA out of audience interpretation, preserve unresolved gaps, and read inquiry quality alongside session counts. None of these observations alone proves that publishing a guide caused an increase. ## Sources and scope - [Google Analytics: AI Assistant channel release](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/9164320?hl=en#05132026) — Documents the May 13, 2026 AI Assistant channel and automatic medium/campaign classification for recognized referrers. Checked 2026-09-06. - [Google Analytics: Default channel group](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/9756891?hl=en) — Defines the AI Assistant channel and excludes Google AI Overviews and AI Mode. Channel membership is not proof of a unique human or citation. Checked 2026-09-06. - [Google Analytics: Traffic acquisition report](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/12923437?hl=en) — Documents session-scoped acquisition dimensions, report access, metrics, and secondary dimensions. The reconciliation method and all example counts are editorial illustrations. Checked 2026-09-06. ## Related reading - [Measure AI visibility without confusing it with traffic.](https://www.iamgeorgekelly.com/field-guide/ai-visibility-measurement/index.md) - [Make a website easy for agents to find, read, and use.](https://www.iamgeorgekelly.com/field-guide/agent-discoverability/index.md) - [ROAS calculator: break-even and contribution](https://www.iamgeorgekelly.com/field-guide/roas-poas-profit/index.md) ## Editorial note AI-assisted research and drafting. Provider-specific claims link to primary sources. Frameworks are editorial proposals; worked examples are illustrative and are not employer performance results.