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Google scrambles to improve AI after strange answers and major outage

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Google is addressing the inaccuracies that emerged with its AI-generated search results. Earlier this month, the results began providing incorrect and sometimes dangerous responses. Meanwhile, Google is recovering from an unexplained outage Friday, May 31, that disrupted news searches worldwide.

Although the service is operational again, the interruption did little to restore confidence, which waned since Google started implementing AI initiatives last year.

The company announced plans to scale back some features and implement at least a dozen technical improvements. Google’s head of search, Liz Reid, explained in a recent blog post that the issues were due to “data voids” and searches designed to generate bizarre results. In a notable example that went viral, the AI suggested adding non-toxic glue to pizza to help the cheese stick better, a tip traced back to an old Reddit post.

Reid elaborated on the challenges of interpreting nonsensical queries and satirical content, using the query, “How many rocks should I eat?” as an example, which gained attention only after screenshots went viral.

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As Google strives to refine its search results, it encountered another setback when its Google News services failed, leaving users without results under the “News” panel. DownDetector.com reported a spike in global outages, causing widespread frustration among users.

These incidents underscore the critical importance of reliability as Google aggressively expands into the AI market. The company has not yet confirmed if the new AI-enhanced features were responsible for the recent service disruptions.

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[KARAH RUCKER]

WE’RE FINALLY GETTING ANSWERS FROM THE SEARCH GIANT THAT SUDDENLY STARTED SPITTING OUT INCORRECT AND EVEN DANGEROUS ANSWERS EARLIER THIS MONTH.

GOOGLE IS NOW ADDRESSING THE INACCURACIES MANY USERS EXPERIENCED WITH ITS A-I GENERATED SEARCH RESULTS.

THE NEWS – COMING RIGHT BEFORE *ANOTHER ISSUE PLUNGED NEWS SEARCH INTO THE DARK AT THE END OF MAY.

AN UNEXPLAINED OUTAGE KNOCKED THE SERVICE OFFLINE FOR MILLIONS OF USERS WORLDWIDE.
WHILE ITS BACK UP AND RUNNING NOW – IT DID LITTLE TO BUILD BACK THE CONFIDENCE THAT HAS BEEN ERODING SINCE THE TECH GIANT BEGAN ROLLING OUT AI-INITIATIVES LAST YEAR.

GOOGLE HAS DECIDED TO SCALE BACK ITS FEATURES AND IMPLEMENT AT LEAST “A DOZEN TECHNICAL IMPROVEMENTS.”

IN A RECENT BLOG POST – GOOGLE’S HEAD OF SEARCH ATTRIBUTED THE ISSUES TO “DATA VOIDS” AND UNCONVENTIONAL SEARCHES CRAFTED TO GENERATE ODD RESULTS.

IN ONE NOW VIRAL EXAMPLE – THE TOOL SUGGESTED USERS ADD NON-TOXIC GLUE TO THEIR PIZZA TO HELP THE CHEESE STICK BETTER.
THE INFORMATION WAS LATER ATTRIBUTED TO A MORE THAN DECADE-OLD REDDIT POST.

GOOGLE SAYS IT CORRECTING THE ISSUE.
THEY CLAIM AI RESULTS GENERALLY ENHANCE USER SATISFACTION WITH GOOGLE SEARCH.

[LIZ REID]
“One area we identified was our ability to interpret nonsensical queries and satirical content. Let’s take a look at an example: “How many rocks should I eat?” Prior to these screenshots going viral, practically no one asked Google that question.”

[KARAH RUCKER]

AS GOOGLE WORKS TO CLEAN-UP ITS SEARCH RESULTS – IT FACES NEW QUESTIONS AFTER A MASSIVE OUTAGE.

ITS GOOGLE NEWS SERVICES SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING FRIDAY MORNING— LEAVING USERS WITHOUT ANY SEARCH RESULTS UNDER THE “NEWS” TAB.

DOWN-DETECTOR-DOT-COM REPORTED A GLOBAL OUTAGE SPIKE. THE WIDESPREAD DISRUPTION PROMPTING A WAVE OF FRUSTRATION FROM USERS.

AS GOOGLE AGGRESSIVELY PUSHES INTO THE AI MARKET, THE COMPANY’S ABILITY TO MAINTAIN USER TRUST THROUGH DEPENDABLE SERVICES IS PROVING TO BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER.

GOOGLE HAS NOT YET CONFIRMED IF ITS NEW AI-ENHANCED FEATURES CONTRIBUTED TO THE DISRUPTION.

I’M KARAH RUCKER.

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