Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) has announced “more than a dozen technical improvements” to its artificial intelligence systems in response to erroneous information being disseminated through its retooled search engine. The updates come after social media users highlighted outlandish answers provided by the AI-generated summaries feature introduced in mid-May.
While Google defended the accuracy of its AI summaries, acknowledging some inaccuracies, Liz Reid, head of Google’s search business, conceded that “some odd, inaccurate or unhelpful AI Overviews certainly did show up.” Examples ranged from amusing to potentially harmful, prompting concerns about the reliability of the feature.
One instance involved a query about wild mushrooms, where Google’s response, although technically correct, lacked crucial information that could lead to adverse health effects. Similarly, an inquiry about the number of Muslim presidents in the United States elicited a debunked conspiracy theory as the AI-generated answer, prompting swift action from Google to rectify the misinformation.
In response to such incidents, Google has implemented immediate fixes to prevent the recurrence of misleading responses and introduced broader improvements. These include the implementation of detection mechanisms to filter nonsensical queries and limit the reliance on user-generated content, which could propagate misinformation.
Furthermore, Google has imposed stricter restrictions to ensure the quality and accuracy of responses, particularly regarding health-related queries. Despite these measures, concerns persist among AI experts regarding the potential biases and misinformation perpetuated by AI-generated answers.
While Google’s AI summaries aim to provide authoritative answers quickly, concerns remain about their potential to perpetuate bias and misinformation, especially in critical situations. Reid emphasized that while AI Overviews may occasionally err, they primarily rely on credible web sources to minimize inaccuracies.
The improvements underscore Google’s commitment to enhancing the reliability and integrity of its search results amidst growing scrutiny over the role of AI in disseminating information. As AI technology evolves, mitigating the risks associated with misinformation remains a priority for tech companies like Google.
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