Michał Stekla
Artificial intelligence in the Google search engine is starting to talk to us in full sentences, summarising articles, suggesting what’s worth reading and what to click on. Sounds like a revolution? Yes. But not everyone is thrilled.
The new "AI Overviews" feature is just rolling out to users in the USA, and it’s expected to appear in other countries by the end of the year. Google is transitioning from a classic list of links to an "assistant" that spits out ready-made answers. In theory – time-saving. In practice? Sometimes you get a brilliant analysis, and other times... a suggestion to add glue to your pizza (seriously).
Pizza with glue and other blunders. Is AI at Google ready?
Screenshots have started circulating online, showing that Google’s artificial intelligence can not only help but also mess things up badly. Users are testing the limits of the new feature and quickly discovering that the AI "borrows" data from Reddit, a forum for beekeepers, or some random blog from 2009. And it turns this into "knowledge".
Google defends itself, stating that this is just the beginning and that the system is learning on the fly – but for many, this is already a sign that AI in the search engine could be a double-edged sword. Especially if it’s based on content that hasn’t undergone any verification.
SGE, or the old Google is coming to an end
Behind it all is the "Search Generative Experience" project – a new approach to information searching. Google no longer wants to be the gateway to the internet, but a guide that tells you what it thinks right away. The test version launched last year, and now it’s rolling out on a massive scale.
For SEOs, bloggers, and the media, this could be a blow: users won’t click on articles anymore since AI summarises everything for them. For ordinary people – convenience... but at the cost of reliable sources. And what if AI gets it wrong? Well, the pizza with glue is hitting the table.
And what about televisions? Will Google AI also make its way to large screens?
Don't be surprised if your TV starts being controlled by... an AI search engine. Google has previously integrated its services with Android TV and Google TV, and now – with the rapid development of AI Overviews – the question arises: will this new artificial intelligence also find its way into our living rooms?
In theory – absolutely. Google Assistant is already functioning on many Android TVs, able to search for movies, check the weather, and control smart home devices. By replacing it with AI Mode, suddenly you have a screen that not only searches for something but can summarise an entire article for you, recommend a movie based on your mood, or... tell you what to buy for dinner. Without reaching for your phone.
So far, Google has not officially confirmed the transfer of AI Overviews to Google TV, however, televisions from TCL, Sony or Philips with Android TV are already technically ready. The only question remains: do we really want this?
Because if your AI in the TV starts suggesting that pizza tastes better with glue – the screening could quickly turn into an absurd show.
Gmail with AI? Google wants to think for you
But that's not the end. Google plans for this whole AI Mode to work not just in the search engine. It is already being tested in connection with Gmail, Google Docs, and the rest of Workspace. Having trouble replying to an email from your boss? AI will write it for you. Need to create a summary of a document? You don’t have to read it – AI will do that for you.
On one hand – saving time. On the other? We're treading on shaky ground. Because if the algorithm starts writing emails for us, summarising data, suggesting decisions... what’s left for us? It sounds like the future, but it has a bit of a Matrix smell to it.
Google, but now with personality?
Google says that by the end of the year AI Overviews will be available in over 100 countries. But the question arises: is it still a search engine, or is it already a chatbot with a bloated ego? And who will take responsibility for the nonsense it can spit out?
For now, the novelty is only available in English, but as I know life, the Polish version is already in the works. And then it will be a real test – not only for Google but also for us, the users. Because if AI becomes the default way to search for information, then we are witnessing the biggest change in the web in two decades.
Source: geekweek
