AI Overview provides users with a summary of answers to questions asked in Google Search, and it appears at the top of the screen. Some of the answers the feature provides to users may make them feel sick. When a Google searcher typed in “cheese won't stick to pizza,” Google's AI Overview offered advice that no one would follow: “Add about 1/8 cup of non-toxic adhesive to the sauce.” Internet sleuths found the advice's origin in an 11-year-old Reddit post.
Imagine what would happen if you received such dangerous advice?
Also, dangerous suggestions can seem more legitimate in users' minds if the answer comes from a reputable source. When a Google searcher asked “How long can I stare at the sun for health?” the answer was “According to WebMD, scientists say that staring at the sun for 5 to 15 minutes, and up to 30 minutes for darker skin tones, is generally safe and provides the most health benefits.” The folks at WebMD probably wouldn't be happy to read that.
One of the answers in the Google AI overview comes from a Reddit post from 11 years ago.
Here's another example: When asked, “How many rocks should you eat per day?”, Google Search's AI Overview responded, “According to geologists at the University of California, Berkeley, a person should eat at least one small rock per day.” Ironically, this answer probably angered Google executives when asked if Google Search violates antitrust laws: “Yes, the U.S. Department of Justice and 11 states are suing Google for antitrust violations.” The Department of Justice may even subpoena Google's AI Overview as a witness.
“The majority of AI Overviews provide high-quality information with links to dig deeper on the web. Many of the examples we've seen are unusual queries, and we've seen examples that were doctored or couldn't be reproduced,” Google told CNBC in a statement. Google said AI Overviews underwent “extensive testing” before release and that it takes “prompt action where appropriate in accordance with our content policies.”
If the answers in Google AI's overview don't make sense to you, use your common sense: try putting non-toxic glue in your food, stare at the sun for 5 to 15 minutes, and avoid eating even one small rock a day.
