The article also questions the purpose of AI Overviews, suggesting that Google is trying to provide users with answers without making them scroll through multiple web pages. However, the author argues that AI Overviews could pose a threat to the open web, as there would be less incentive to write accurate articles if people are just going to read an AI-generated summary. Google claims that with AI Overviews, people are visiting a wider variety of websites for help with more complex questions, but the author expresses skepticism about this claim.
Key takeaways:
- Google's AI Overviews, the AI-generated search results, have been providing inaccurate and bizarre answers, pulling information from sources like old Reddit posts and The Onion.
- Google is taking swift action to remove these inaccurate results and is using these instances to improve their systems.
- Despite the errors, Google maintains that the majority of AI Overviews provide high-quality information and that many of the inaccurate results are from uncommon queries or doctored examples.
- There are concerns that AI Overviews could pose a threat to the open web, as there is less incentive to produce accurate content if people are just going to read an AI-generated summary.