Earlier this month, The Guardian released an investigative report revealing that Google’s AI overviews were providing misleading and incorrect information in response to certain medical questions. Following the report, these contentious results seem to have been taken down. The initial investigation highlighted:
As of this morning, Google’s AI responses to questions such as “what is the normal range for liver blood tests?” have been completely disabled. While Google opted not to comment directly to The Guardian about the removal, spokesperson Davis Thompson shared insights with The Verge. He stated, “We make substantial investments to ensure the quality of AI Overviews, especially in critical areas like health, and the vast majority deliver accurate data. Our internal team of clinicians evaluated the findings and noted that often, the information was not incorrect and was corroborated by reputable sources. When AI Overviews lack context, we strive for comprehensive improvements and take necessary actions in line with our policies.”
Update January 11th: Google has provided an additional comment.
As of this morning, the AI overviews for questions like “what is the normal range for liver blood tests?” have been disabled entirely. Google declined to comment on the specific removal to The Guardian. Spokesperson Davis Thompson told The Verge that, “We invest significantly in the quality of AI Overviews, particularly for topics like health, and the vast majority provide accurate information. Our internal team of clinicians reviewed what’s been shared with us and found that in many instances, the information was not inaccurate and was also supported by high quality websites. In cases where AI Overviews miss some context, we work to make broad improvements, and we also take action under our policies where appropriate.”
Update January 11th: Added comment from Google.
