Many of Google's AI projects, revealed at I/O 2024, are still in the experimental stage, available only to a few users, or won't be available until later this year. Google's "AI Overviews" in Google Search, which are automated summaries of website content, have been criticized for potential copyright infringement and for containing false information. This feature, along with a new "web" filter that only shows classic links to websites, could be steps towards Google becoming a closed platform, similar to social media.
Key takeaways:
- Scott Jenson, a former UX strategist at Google, criticizes the company's AI projects as poorly motivated and driven by panic, comparing the situation to the Google+ fiasco 13 years ago.
- Google's goal is to create a Jarvis-like assistant that keeps users locked into Google's ecosystem, driven by the fear that someone else might get there first.
- Many of Google's AI projects announced at Google I/O 2024 are still in the experimental stage, available only to a few users, or won't be available until later this year.
- Google's 'AI Overviews' in Google Search, which are quick summaries of website content that show up as direct answers to search queries, have been criticized for being created without website operators' consent and for potentially containing false information.