AI Overviews Removed by Google for Some Medical Searches Following Reports of Dangerous and Misleading Information

Google is always the center of AI innovation, however, its one of the most widely used feature AI Overviews is witnessing a down fall. Reportedly, the tech giant has removed its AI-generated overviews for certain medical searches after receiving several reports about its overviews providing misleading and potentially harmful information. Google’s AI Overviews generate summaries in search results using generative AI rather than providing traditional links. While it is designed to make searches easier, it is causing serious concerns about accuracy in health related results and queries.

AI Overviews Giving False Medical Advises

As per Guardian, Google’s AI Overviews are providing false, misleading, wrong, and dangerous results for medical search results. For example, if somebody searches ‘what is the normal range for liver blood tests’ and ‘what is the normal range for liver blood tests’, then the AI Overviews are providing summaries related to numerical ranges. Nevertheless, expert warns that these numerical results could be misleading as it is failed to consider important factors like age, sex, ethnicity, and nationality. These results could misled into thinking that even users abnormal results are normal, hence, posing a real health risks.

Harmful Dietary Advices by AI Overviews

In some of the incidents, AI Overviews are also providing harmful dietary advices to users. In addition, people who are suffering from pancreatic cancer were given incorrect advice to avoid high-fat foods, which is contrary to medical recommendations.

Google is Partial Removing of AI Overviews

After the report emerged, Google removed AI Overviews for the serious and problematic queries. However, search like ‘LFT reference range’ is still displaying AI summaries. We conducted a follow-up test, and it showed that some of these searches no longer triggered AI Overviews and the top results are coming news articles instead.

The AI Mode is still available, and hence AI-driven answers haven’t been fully eliminated from the search experience.

Google’s Response

Google told The Guardian that it will comment on individual removals and the tech giant explained that it works to improve its AI Overviews. The company will takes action under its policies when needed. Nevertheless, AI Overviews remain available for some cancer and mental health queries. Google also said its internal team of clinicians reviewed the information and found most of it accurate and supported by trusted websites.

AI Overviews Controversy Is Not New

This is not the first time when AI Overviews have faced controversy and criticism. The feature first became controversial soon after its launch in May last year. To recall, users were asked to put glue in their pizza or eating small rocks for vitamins. Google had temporarily removed the feature and later reintroduced it with adjustments.