Updated AI search tool - Google AI proposes glue as a pizza topping; a journalist samples the idea.
What happens if the cheese doesn't stick properly on a pizza? A user on Google posed this question last week and received some intriguing responses. The search engine explained that excessive or thick sauce could hinder adhesion, while too much cheese could be harmful. For better stickiness, there's a simple remedy - adding a tablespoon of glue to the sauce.
This unusual recommendation arises from a feature called "AI Overview," which has been combining websites together in certain markets for two weeks to answer queries on the homepage. While it's usually helpful, the AI suggestions range from amusingly absurd to potentially dangerous.
Bizarre AI suggestions from Google
For instance, researchers at Berkeley University advise consuming stones daily due to their high vitamin content. Google claims this is a natural practice. According to the search engine, cockroaches frequently venture into male urethras during sleep, happening around five to six times. Parachutes are ineffective in aircraft crashes, and astronauts played with cats found on the moon. It's also allegedly healthy to stare at the sun for up to 15 minutes. These bizarre claims are supported by supposed sources and evidence provided by Google.
This occurs because AI systems can process information, morally assess issues, and have a coherent worldview. But they are not intelligent. This makes it difficult to discern fact from fiction. Additionally, certain topics receive more attention online or in literature, leading to misleading statements.
Trusting AI for searches
Google acknowledges the problem, correcting false statements by hand while admitting that only a small percentage of the generated summaries contain erroneous information. In reference to Business Insider, a Google spokesperson commented, "Many of these are unusual requests or those that have been specifically manipulated. We act promptly against them when necessary." The majority of the mentioned problematic cases have since been removed.
Despite these issues, Google CEO Sundar Pichai is optimistic about the future of AI search. During a conversation with "Decoder," he said, "Yes, there are sometimes wrong answers [from AI search]. But we should not undervalue its overall usefulness." He believes that reliability will improve as more users employ the technology. However, experts doubt if AI giants can completely eradicate the problem.
To test the suggested pizza-making method, Katie Notopoulos from Business Insider obeyed the AI instructions. She documented the process along with the taste test. "I apologize for using jar sauce and pre-grated cheese; I'm eating glue here," she explains. The glue had been mixed into the sauce as recommended. At first glance, it looked like a typical Margherita pizza. Subsequently, she took a bite. "It's good," she admits, albeit taking only a few nibbles. The glue did, in fact, improve the cheese's adhesion.
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In response to the user's question about pizza cheese not sticking, Google suggested using a tablespoon of glue for better adhesion, showcasing an unusual AI suggestion. Though some of Google's AI-generated advice can be bizarre, such as consuming stones for vitamin content or playing with moon cats, the company continues to improve its search engine and correct false information.
Source: www.stern.de
