Ben Stower’s Post

Google AI is currently facing challenges, producing incorrect and sometimes dangerous answers. However, it will improve with time and we will see it dominate certain seach results. At HyprLogic, we advise our clients to stay ahead of these shifts. One major impact will be the increase in zero-click searches, where Google provides answers without directing users to a specific website. Read more about these developments and their implications here. https://lnkd.in/ePY3ZZFv

I think Google might have just put the sword of Damocles in search. At the very least, they are plunging a dagger that has the potential to be driven deeper and do immense damage. The new head of search said at an internal all hands meeting last week that mistakes with artificial intelligence will occur as they integrate it into search, but that they should still keep pushing out flawed products! What? The quality of search results from Google has declined over time, but it was still a trusted and relied upon resource. Billions of people trust the results they get from a Google search. It is an enviable position to be in. But they are giving all that up.. Mistakes and errors will be acceptable! It is revealing and stunning at the same time. The lion’s share of Google’s revenue and profit comes from search results. And now they are saying the trust you have come to expect and rely on in our core product is less important than a shiny new AI twist. It says a lot about how they are putting AI over everything. They are willing to damage their reputation and their bottom line just to roll out products that will have errors. And oh, by the way, when you find a mistake, if you know the result is wrong, please let us know so we can fix it! Crazy. They are ceding search supremacy to a competitor that can promise better, more accurate results. All in the name of AI. This will impact the company over the long term in unexpected ways. Might be time for a permanent switch to DuckDuckGo. #ai #artificialintelligence #marketing #google https://lnkd.in/gzhxZPnf

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt believes Google's mission is to organize information, not just provide blue links. His insights hint at a future where AI delivers direct answers without web links, potentially reshaping how we access information online. Schmidt suggests AI's role is underappreciated, envisioning a shift towards answer-focused search experiences. Watch the full interview here https://lnkd.in/dCi-P5JH

It's always interesting to hear from the biggest Tech giants about the latest advancements in AI - and it was really insightful to hear more from Google's CEO, Sundar Pichai, especially with the announcement of AI overviews on Google Search. 💻🔍 A good listen for sure - or if you can't, definitely great to read through what he has to say about the enhancements in AI and how Google is making use of it. #google #ainews #techinterview

Have you ever felt like Google's search results are getting worse? Part of that might be because of Google's implementation of new AI tools. Called the "Search Generative Experience" (SGE), search results are now "enhanced" with large language models. But as Geoffrey A. Fowler notes in his review of the SGE for the Washington Post, even after 11 months of public testing, Google's new AI-powered search engine still has some pretty glaring issues, such as: - Having a tendency to "hallucinate", making up facts and statistics out of thin air when confused or unsure. - Pulling results from low quality sources or presenting random posts from social media users as empirical fact. - Having huge discrepancies between "traditional" Google and the SGE when it comes to results. For instance, SEO firms have noticed that the websites that earn the No. 1 spot in the "traditional" Google search results were not found in the AI-powered results. Read the article for yourself and let me know what you think? In what ways do you do you think the AI revolution will change how search engine marketing and the end user experience for better or worse? https://lnkd.in/gZ9QiR2f

This morning Peter Caputa shared a post [1] on how 3000+ companies have seen a decline in organic traffic. Search experts like Eli Schwartz have been predicting the decline of organic clicks in search due to Google's incorporation of AI. Looks like that day is today [2]. Google says this is rolling out this week so we may not all be seeing it yet. Still, it's impact is likely going to be big: "The research firm Gartner predicted earlier this year that by 2026, traditional search engine volume will drop by 25 percent, as a more “agent”-led search approach, in which AI models retrieve and generate more direct answers, takes hold." Curious what steps marketers are taking to address this on behalf of their companies. [1] https://lnkd.in/gg7eiGkB [2] https://lnkd.in/greGtw5n.

Google's recent AI feature, A.I. Overviews, aimed to enhance search results by providing comprehensive answers directly within the search engine. However, the rollout was fraught with errors, such as suggesting non-toxic glue on pizza and recommending the ingestion of rocks for nutrients, leading to public backlash and mockery on social media. These mistakes highlight a significant trust deficit when technology fails to meet user expectations. Google's decision to scale back A.I. Overviews indicate the technology wasn't ready for widespread use, despite competitive pressure from rivals like Microsoft and OpenAI. This situation has broader implications for Google's market position, as it now faces challenges from AI-driven alternatives. For over two decades, Google has dominated internet search, but its cautious approach now seems to have backfired, leaving it struggling to keep up. The reputational damage from these AI missteps is significant, as high-profile failures necessitate a retreat and reassessment, harming the company's reputation. Despite setbacks, Google is committed to its AI strategy, working on refining features to minimize errors and enhance user experience. This iterative approach may help regain some lost credibility, but it also underscores the challenges of deploying advanced AI in real-world applications. The race to lead in AI-driven search is ongoing, and Google's efforts to improve AI offerings will be crucial in determining its future market position. As Google navigates this complex landscape, it must prioritize trust and reliability to maintain its dominance in the search market. The coming months will be critical in determining whether Google can regain its footing and lead the AI revolution or continue to struggle against its competitors. Will Google ever find balance between innovation with reliability to restore user trust? https://lnkd.in/gz_pZBTj

🔍 Google's AI Search Overhaul: A Pivotal Shift or More of the Same? The fundamental strategic question for the Search Giant. Google's introduction of AI-generated answers, known as "AI Overviews," at the top of search results has been touted as a watershed moment. However, the reality so far has been less transformative, with the AI answers often proving dubious or glaringly wrong. 🤔 writes John Herrman at - https://lnkd.in/gFTHqguN - Google’s AI Overviews Will Change the Whole Internet — Again (nymag.com) 🎯 The Underlying Goal: Maintaining Dominance 💰 At its core, Google's #AI push aims to fend off competition from the likes of OpenAI and maintain its position as the preeminent search engine and web gatekeeper. 🔐 The Privacy Conundrum: Trading Access for Convenience ⚖️ Google's AI offerings, from voice assistants to real-time call scanning, come with a catch – they demand fuller access to users' digital lives, reigniting privacy concerns. This trade-off echoes past controversies, like the backlash over contextual ads in Gmail inboxes. 📨 🧠 AI as a Gateway to Data: Redefining Digital Boundaries 🔓 AI assistants make a direct case for the necessity of user surveillance, working better with increased access to users' screens, documents, and personal data. This blurs traditional notions of digital autonomy and personal boundaries. 📲 🚨 The Illusion of Choice: Business as Usual? 🤷♂️ While AI assistants may seem to offer value by operationalizing user data, the underlying dynamic aligns with tech giants' long-standing business models built on data acquisition and monetization. Users face a familiar "choice" – surrender more data or miss out. 📊 👁️ The Data Hunger: Fueling AI's Potential 💡 At the heart of the AI boom lies a voracious appetite for data. Tech firms argue that realizing AI's full potential requires ingesting vast amounts of public and private data, pushing the boundaries of what belongs to users. 🌐 🔥 Google's AI endeavors represent not just a technological shift but a continuation of its pursuit to "get right up to the creepy line" in accessing user data, redefining privacy norms in the process. 🕵️♀️ 👉 At knowdroids.ai we know that you do not have to transform the whole business to run into questions when applying #GenAI. We can support our clients in moving towards the #GenAI-augmented organisations that are more efficient and fully leveraging the existing knowledge and know-how. #AI #GoogleSearch #Privacy #DataCollection #TechGiants #DigitalAutonomy

Man, #Google is quickly becoming a joke, aren't they? Remember back in the day when you could actually go there for accurate information? On a positive note, their continuous blunders could actually be helpful for the wider public to adopt better research habits and practices and not just simply taking everything they see on the Internet, or in the first search result, as face value. Verify before you trust. Also, mass exodus to #Perplexity? Yes, please. Sign me up. One of many sources covering Google AI overview fails:

Google is reducing the use of AI-generated answers in search results following errors and backlash. The AI Overviews feature launched recently, received criticism for providing false and absurd responses. Changes include detecting nonsensical queries, limiting content from forums, and introducing restrictions for certain topics lacking sufficient data. Google's head of search confirmed these adjustments, addressing recent examples of #AI errors. Follow Amanda Newman to stay up to date with technology. https://lnkd.in/eypDre4R