Google announced on Friday that it has implemented “more than a dozen technical enhancements” to its artificial intelligence systems following the discovery of inaccurate information being generated by its updated search engine.
In mid-May, the tech company rolled out a new version of its search engine that includes AI-generated summaries alongside search results. Users quickly began sharing screenshots of some of the more outrageous responses.
While Google has defended the accuracy of its AI-generated overviews, Liz Reid, the head of Google’s search business, admitted in a blog post on Friday that “some inaccurate or unhelpful AI Overviews did surface.”
Despite many of the examples being humorous, some posed serious risks by providing false information. Additionally, fake screenshots were circulated on social media, adding to the controversy.
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When asked about which wild mushrooms are safe to eat, Google provided an AI-generated summary that lacked crucial information, potentially leading to illness or worse, according to Mary Catherine Aime, a professor at Purdue University.
In another case, Google erroneously claimed that “The United States has had one Muslim president, Barack Hussein Obama.” This misinformation was promptly corrected by Google.
Google has also taken steps to address nonsensical queries that should not warrant an AI-generated summary, such as “How many rocks should I eat?”
From Gazette news services
