Have you ever stumbled upon some bizarre and outright incorrect information while searching on Google? Well, you’re not alone. Google’s latest AI feature, AI Overviews, seems to have a knack for spewing out wildly inaccurate answers to search queries. In a recent interview with Google CEO Sundar Pichai on The Verge, he acknowledged these “hallucinations” as an inherent feature of AI large language models, which power AI Overviews. Pichai admitted that these errors are still an unsolved problem, despite ongoing efforts by Google engineers to rectify them.
One particularly eyebrow-raising suggestion from AI Overviews was the advice to use glue on pizza to prevent the cheese from sliding off. Another mind-boggling blunder claimed that 13 American presidents had graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Pichai, however, remains hopeful about the progress being made, emphasizing that while mistakes still occur, the AI technology is continuously evolving and improving in terms of factuality.
Despite Pichai’s optimism, the online community has not been shy about expressing their outrage over the inaccuracies generated by AI Overviews. The errors have further tarnished Google’s flagship product, Search, which has already faced criticism for delivering subpar results. AI consultant and SEO expert Britney Muller highlighted the discrepancy between the public’s high expectations for AI accuracy and the reality of its limitations. She suggested that Google might be better off focusing on developing AI for more substantial applications beyond Search.
As Pichai alluded, it appears that Google and the wider online sphere are in for a rocky journey as they navigate the challenges of AI technology. While there have been significant strides in enhancing the accuracy and reliability of AI models, the occasional missteps serve as a reminder that perfection remains an elusive goal. So, the next time you encounter a puzzling or downright absurd answer from AI Overviews, just remember that even the most advanced technology is not immune to the occasional blunder.
By
