Google Core Update Status, Gemini 3 Flash In AI Mode, Optimizing For AI Search & Bug Fixes Galore

This week, we have a status update on the ongoing Google December 2025 core update. Google also said it does not pre-announce core updates or quality updates. Gemini 3 Flash now powers Google AI Mode. Google Search Live gets a conversational language upgrade with the help of Gemini. Google’s Danny Sullivan and John Mueller spoke about SEO for AI and more. Nick Fox from Google said optimizing for AI Search is the same as for traditional search. Google Search Console’s performance reports are now fixed and up-to-date, and so are the page indexing reports. Google Search Console’s average position number is bouncing around for sites. Google explained how it uses JavaScript to execute noindex tags on pages. Google also warned about canonical links with JavaScript. Google also said that it might not render JS pages that do not have 200 status codes. Google fixed a bug with the disappearing reviews. Meanwhile, review appeals are severely delayed before the holidays. Google also changed how Q&As work in local search. Google Search snippets may now show read more links. Google is testing super-long AI-generated snippets. Bing is testing a plus sign in the search bar for search with an image and make an image. Bing is testing showing more search results buttons. Bing is testing underlines in search ads. That was the search news this week at the Search Engine Roundtable.Thank you to our sponsor, Yahoo Search. Yahoo knows the way people are searching is changing – and as one of the top search engines in the US, with hundreds of millions of users, Yahoo Search is constantly evolving to deliver a simplified, innovative, and helpful search experience. Yahoo Search gives you quick, AI-powered summaries, plus AI chat when you want to dive deeper. Whether it's news, finance, sports, shopping or instant answers, get connected to what you need.0:00 - Introduction0:53 - Google December 2025 Core Update Intense Impact Early2:04 - Google: Pre-Announcing Google Core Updates Isn't Possible3:05 - Gemini 3 Flash For Google AI Mode - Now Rolling Out3:45 - Google Search Live Gets Conversational Language Upgrade With Gemini4:22 - Google's Danny Sullivan & John Mueller On SEO For AI: It's The Same5:33 - Google: Optimization For AI Search Is The Same As For Traditional Search6:02 - Google Search Console Performance Reports Finally Caught Up6:30 - Google Search Console Page Indexing Report Now Up To Date7:07 - Google Search Console Average Position Dropping Back Down7:50 - Google Warns: Don't Use NoIndex Tags In Pages That Use JavaScript8:08 - Google Updates JavaScript SEO Doc With Setting Canonical URL Advice8:35 - Google JavaScript Doc Now Says Non-200 HTTP Status Code Might Not Be Rendered8:55 - Google Reviews Disappearing Bug Reportedly Fixed9:45 - Google Business Profiles Review Appeals Are Delayed Before Holidays10:26 - Google Removing Q&A Feature In Google Maps For AI-Powered Ask Button11:13 - Google Rolling Out Read More Links Search Result Snippets11:27 - Google Tests Very Long Expandable AI-Generated Search Result Snippets11:48 - Microsoft Tests Search With An Image & Make An Image In Bing Search Bar12:14 - Bing Tests See More Search Results Button12:33 - Microsoft Tests Underlines In Bing Ad Description Snippets12:51 - Conclusion