Google Scales Back AI Search Answers After Epic Fails
San Francisco, – Hold onto your hats, folks, because the internet just did a collective spit-take. Google, the all-knowing oracle of the web, just got busted serving up some seriously sus answers, like telling people to glue pizza back together (who does that?!) and even claiming Barack Obama is Muslim. Yikes on bikes!
AI Overviews: From Hype to “Oh-No” in Record Time
Remember just a couple of weeks ago when Google was all hyped about “AI Overviews” for us US folks? They were supposed to revolutionize search, giving us those sweet, sweet answers right at the top of the results page. Well, it turns out the revolution will be slightly delayed, because those AI-generated answers were about as accurate as a toddler trying to throw darts.
Think about it: would you trust a robot that gets its info from memes and late-night Twitter feuds? Yeah, that’s what Google’s AI was basically doing, and the internet was quick to roast them harder than a Thanksgiving turkey.
Liz Reid, the big kahuna of Search at Google, had to step in and do some serious damage control. In a blog post that probably had a few “deep breaths” before hitting publish, she admitted that the AI needed a serious reality check. Apparently, relying on the internet’s wild west of information wasn’t the best idea. Who knew, right?
Google’s AI Gets Sent Back to School (aka Beta Testing)
So, what’s Google doing to fix this hot mess? Reid laid out a few key changes, basically putting their AI on a time-out until it learns some manners:
- No More Social Media Binging: Remember how we said the AI was basically mainlining Twitter? Yeah, that’s a no-no now. Google realized that maybe, just maybe, social media isn’t the most reliable source of info.
- Doctor Google is Out of Office: Asking the internet for medical advice is already a risky move, but getting that advice from an AI that thinks essential oils cure everything? That’s a recipe for disaster. Google wisely hit the pause button on AI-generated answers for health stuff.
- Stricter Than Your Parents on Prom Night: Remember when you could basically ask Google anything, and it would spill the tea? Those days are over (for now, at least). Google’s putting its AI on a tight leash, limiting those “AI Overviews” to only the super specific searches where they actually know what they’re talking about.
- Back to Coding Class: Reid also dropped some tech jargon about a bunch of “technical adjustments” they’re making to the AI’s algorithms. Basically, they’re giving it an upgrade package to hopefully avoid another PR disaster.