Following a wave of criticism over some of the strange answers generated by artificial intelligence, Google has begun to scale back its use of AI Overviews technology in its search engine. Research by SEO firm BrightEdge showedthat the number of responses to search queries in June fell from 11% to 7%.
Image source: 2H Media/Unsplash
However, as reports In a statement to The Verge, Google spokesperson Ashley Thompson refuted BrightEdge’s findings, calling the company’s methodology flawed. Thompson said the study didn’t account for the difference between users who opted in to AI Overviews as part of Google’s experimental Search Labs features and those who didn’t. He said users who opted in to AI Overviews in Search Labs would see them in more search results. BrightEdge, meanwhile, said it only tracked data from people who opted in to AI Overviews.
Image source: brightedge.com
Recall that since the launch of the AI Overviews short answers feature in Google search, Google has faced a number of embarrassments related to ridiculous and even dangerous advice given by AI. For example, users were advised to spread glue on pizza and eat rocks. In response to criticism, Google assured that it is working to improve its technology, limiting the use of unverified user content in AI responses and adding tools to detect meaningless queries that artificial intelligence should not receive.
Despite the challenges, Google has no plans to abandon the AI Overviews feature. CEO Sundar Pichai said that users have responded very positively to AI responses. However, it appears that Google is not yet ready for mass adoption of this technology and is continuing to refine it. The reduction in the use of AI Overviews may indicate that Google is simply afraid of a negative reaction and loss of trust in its search engine. Especially since users may turn to competitors such as Microsoft, OpenAI, and Perplexity.
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