The biggest name in search has been making a mockery of itself, misinforming users that Barack Obama is a Muslim and that humans should eat rocks daily. It is even (trigger warning: self harm) touting the Golden Gate Bridge as the “best bridge to jump off,” highlighting the high fatality rate of suicides attempted there. Google is rolling out new Artificial Intelligence search tools, ostensibly designed to improve the search process.
Some of these tools are clearly labeled as “experiments” and users have to opt-in to participate. However Google has launched a tool for many users called “AI Overview” that uses machine learning to generate quick answers to user queries and delivers them as the top search result. AI Overview cannot be turned off, and it does not offer any warnings or disclosures about its limitations on the search page itself.
The early results have been problematic, to say the least — including spreading a bigoted conspiracy theory, and providing answers that not only include absurd misinformation, but could in fact be hazardous to human health or endanger people experiencing a mental health crisis. On Thursday, Tommy Vietor, a veteran of the Obama White House shared an AI Overview search result to his query: “How many muslim us presidents have there been.” Google’s new search tool delivered a response that began, “There has been at least one Muslim U.
S. president, Barack Hussein Obama.” To anyone who follows American politics closely, t.
