Google is trying to fix AI overviews following a tough launch.
In February, Google struck a $60 million annual deal with Reddit to access its real-time data API. However, Google might have underestimated Reddit's nuanced and sometimes ironic content.
Let’s take a look at how a simple query evolved into closer inspection of AI’s effects on search.
1. At Google I/O on May 14, they unveiled AI Overviews for search results, placing an AI summary at the top of many queries. A "Web" filter simplifies results to text-based links, excluding ads and AI content.
2. It all started with an AI-generated response to a query about why cheese slides off pizza. Google's AI suggested mixing cheese with the sauce and adding non-toxic glue to improve adhesion. This bizarre advice quickly spread online.
3. The absurd suggestion originated from an old Reddit post intended as a joke. Unfortunately, lacking context and understanding, Google's AI presented it as a legitimate solution.
4. In response to the criticism, a Google official noted that the errors were rare and that most AI replies were correct. Users have already created tools like the UDM 14 website to avoid AI-generated stuff and return to regular search results.
5. Google's AI is designed to produce trustworthy replies based on available facts but lacks actual comprehension. This leads to "hallucinations," in which the AI provides confident but incorrect replies.
6. Kevin Indig's research analyzes the impact of Google's AI Overviews on organic search traffic. Using data from 1,675 health-related inquiries, his study discovered that AIOs appear in 42% of searches and can impact organic clicks, particularly for direct-answer requests. However, AIOs may increase traffic to some of the cited websites.
7. AI Overviews also frequently appear with features such as "People Also Ask," yet there is no evident association between keyword difficulty or search traffic. To ensure accuracy and relevance, Google has to improve how AIOs pick and validate material.
8. In other news, OpenAI works with media sites such as Vox Media and The Atlantic to integrate journalistic material into AI models. These initiatives attempt to increase the reliability and context of AI replies, lowering the risk of disinformation. We shall see how it goes.
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June 6, 2024
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