Google’s AI Reviews Are Already Making Significant Errors

Google’s AI summaries are causing a stir among users as inaccuracies and hallucinations are being reported. The search engine giant recently rolled out the new feature to its 250 million-plus monthly U.S. users, but some are already questioning the reliability of the information provided.

One user shared a humorous example of the AI’s shortcomings when a search query about cheese not sticking to pizza resulted in a suggestion to add non-toxic glue to the sauce. The source of this information was traced back to a Reddit post from 11 years ago, raising concerns about the accuracy of the AI-generated summaries.

Seattle-based AI researcher Dr. Margaret Mitchell also pointed out two glaring errors in the AI summaries, including one that claimed President Andrew Jackson graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2005, despite his death in 1845. Another error suggested that President Andrew Johnson, who never attended school, earned 14 degrees from the same university.

These examples highlight the potential pitfalls of relying on AI to provide accurate information, especially when integrated into widely used platforms like Google. The errors could lead to the spread of misinformation if not addressed promptly.

Anastasia Kotsiubynska, Head of SEO at SE Ranking, warned of the possibility of misleading information and hallucinations in search results due to the new AI summaries. With Google planning to introduce ads within the AI overviews soon, users may need to exercise caution when relying on the information provided by the search engine.