Google Defends AI Overviews Amid Controversy, Promises Swift Action

Updated: May 31 2024 17:40

Google's AI Overviews, a new feature that generates summaries of search results using artificial intelligence, has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons. Since its launch earlier this month, users have been sharing examples of AI Overviews providing inaccurate, misleading, and even dangerous information. The backlash has put Google in damage control mode, with the company now issuing a statement to address the concerns.


AI Overviews were introduced as a way to provide users with quick, concise summaries of search results, saving them the time and effort of sifting through multiple web pages. Google made the feature the default for search results in the US, with plans to expand it to other countries in the near future. However, the rollout has been far from smooth.

Over the past several days, social media has been flooded with screenshots of AI Overviews providing incorrect or potentially harmful information. One viral example showed an AI Overview suggesting that users put glue on their pizza to make the cheese stick better - a dangerous and ill-advised "solution" to a common problem.

Another concerning instance involved an AI Overview providing incorrect information about the safe cooking temperature for chicken, which could lead to foodborne illnesses if followed. These examples, among others, have raised serious questions about the reliability and safety of AI-generated content. See below some examples done by Ars Technica, check their website for more AI Overviews gone wrong examples:







In response to the growing backlash, Google has issued a statement defending AI Overviews while also acknowledging the need for improvement. The company claims that the "vast majority of AI Overviews provide high-quality information" and that many of the viral examples circulating online are either "uncommon queries" or "doctored" images that Google couldn't reproduce.

However, Google also stated that it is "taking swift action where appropriate under our content policies" and using the feedback to "develop broader improvements to our systems." The company claims that some of these improvements have already started to roll out. Here's the full statement from Google spokesperson:

The vast majority of AI Overviews provide high quality information, with links to dig deeper on the web. Many of the examples we’ve seen have been uncommon queries, and we’ve also seen examples that were doctored or that we couldn’t reproduce. We conducted extensive testing before launching this new experience, and as with other features we’ve launched in Search, we appreciate the feedback. We’re taking swift action where appropriate under our content policies, and using these examples to develop broader improvements to our systems, some of which have already started to roll out.

As Google explained in the blog post, despite extensive testing and robust red-teaming efforts before the launch, the widespread use of AI Overviews by millions of users revealed some challenges. One example that gained attention was the query "How many rocks should I eat?" Prior to the viral screenshots, this question was rarely asked on Google. The limited amount of serious web content on this topic, combined with the presence of satirical content on a geological software provider's website, led to an AI Overview that linked to one of the few websites addressing the question.

In other instances, AI Overviews featured sarcastic content from discussion forums, which sometimes led to less-than-helpful advice. Additionally, there were a small number of cases where AI Overviews misinterpreted language on webpages, resulting in inaccurate information.


To address these challenges, Google quickly worked on updates that could help broad sets of queries, rather than fixing individual queries one by one. Some of the improvements made include:

• Building better detection mechanisms for nonsensical queries to avoid showing AI Overviews in such cases
• Limiting the inclusion of satire and humor content
• Updating systems to limit the use of user-generated content that could offer misleading advice
• Adding triggering restrictions for queries where AI Overviews were not proving to be as helpful
• Enhancing quality protections for topics like news and health, where freshness and factuality are crucial

In addition to these improvements, Google has been monitoring feedback and external reports, taking action on the rare instances where AI Overviews violated content policies. Such violations were found in less than one in every 7 million unique queries on which AI Overviews appeared.


As Google continues to refine and enhance AI Overviews, users can expect an even more seamless and accurate search experience. With over 25 years of experience in building and maintaining a high-quality search experience, Google is well-equipped to tackle the challenges that come with integrating AI technologies into its search platform. As AI Overviews evolve and mature, users can look forward to more efficient and helpful search experiences, enabling them to find the information they need with greater ease and accuracy.

Despite the current challenges, it's clear that AI will continue to play an increasingly important role in search and content generation. As the technology improves, we can expect to see more accurate, reliable, and nuanced AI-generated summaries. However, it's crucial that companies like Google prioritize the development of robust safeguards and quality control measures to prevent the spread of misinformation and ensure the safety of users.

In the meantime, it's essential for users to approach AI-generated content with a critical eye and to fact-check information before acting upon it. While AI Overviews can provide a convenient starting point for research, they should not be relied upon as the sole source of information.