When Google’s AI Overview invited users to eat pebbles or use glue to build cheese sticks on pizza earlier this week, the replies went viral. The goal of Google’s new AI function was to improve search results, but when people asked it strange questions, it started to generate memes. The organisation now attributes these imprecise outcomes to “information gaps” or “data voids.”
Liz Reid, Google’s chief of search, claimed in a blog post that AI Overview “hallucinates” or makes things up. “Misinterpreting queries, misinterpreting a nuance of language on the web, or not having a lot of great information available” are the usual reasons it returns incorrect results.
“We saw AI Overviews that featured troll-like or sarcastic content from discussion forums,” the spokesperson said. Although forums are frequently an excellent place to find real, first-hand knowledge, they can also occasionally produce unhelpful advice, such as suggesting using glue to make cheese attach to pizza.
Google has also highlighted that other phoney screenshots were also making the rounds while these erroneous AI Overview responses were being circulated online. Results from the AI Overview include smoking while pregnant, abandoning dogs in cars, and never experiencing depression.
It is rare that Google has answered absurd queries such as “How many rocks should I eat?” When it comes to deciphering absurd inquiries and satirical content, Reid acknowledged that AI Overview still requires improvement. Additionally, “to limit the use of user-generated content in responses that could offer misleading advice,” the tech giant modified its algorithms. Additionally, “triggering restrictions for queries where AI Overviews were not proving to be as helpful” have been added by Google.
“In a small number of cases, we have seen AI Overviews misinterpret language on webpages and present inaccurate information,” the company has acknowledged. We promptly took action to resolve these problems, either by making adjustments to our algorithms or by putting in place procedures to eliminate answers that don’t adhere to our guidelines.
When it comes to “hard news topics,” Google AI Overview won’t appear since “freshness and factuality are important.” Google has also introduced “additional triggering refinements to enhance our quality protections” in the area of health.
Google, led by CEO Sundar Pichai, has defended its AI Overview feature after it came under fire for generating bizarre and misleading search results, including one that suggested using glue in pizza. The tech giant acknowledged the errors but maintained confidence in the capabilities of its AI-powered search enhancements.
Controversial AI Responses
The controversy erupted when users noticed Google’s AI Overview suggesting that people should use non-toxic glue to make cheese stick to pizza—an obviously incorrect and dangerous piece of advice. Other bizarre AI-generated answers included claims about running a marathon after drinking a liter of paint and misleading medical advice.
Social media quickly exploded with memes and criticism, with users questioning Google’s reliability in AI-driven search results. Experts pointed out that the AI Overview feature appears to be pulling information from unreliable sources without proper verification.
Google’s Response
In response, Google defended its AI system, stating that such incorrect answers were rare and not reflective of the overall accuracy of its AI Overview feature. A spokesperson said, “We continuously refine our models to reduce errors and provide more accurate information.”
Despite the backlash, Google remains committed to AI-powered search, promising improvements in filtering out misleading or harmful content.
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