From Glue on Pizza to Batman as a Cop: Google AI’s Biggest Fails

A dog playing multiple professional sports? Andrew Jackson attending the University of Wisconsin ten times and graduating each time? Google’s AI searches already start to backfire.

Google AI Overviews Feature Faces Criticism

Google’s AI Overviews feature, designed to enhance the search experience, has come under fire for providing inaccurate and sometimes absurd answers. In one instance, users searching for a solution to keep pizza toppings intact were advised to use Elmer’s glue, a suggestion traced back to a decade-old joke on Reddit. Other notable errors include claims that a dog has participated in major sports leagues and that former US President James Madison graduated from the University of Wisconsin multiple times.

I saw someone else mention this one on another post
Ah yes , the snake very famous for being a mammal 🤣 pic.twitter.com/xo538FcqoK

— Raven – 🍉 (@RavenTenebris13) May 20, 2024

@RavenTenebris15 shows a screenshot of Google’s AI searches malfunctioning (Twitter (X)/ Supplied)

Missteps Highlight AI’s Current Limitations

These inaccuracies have sparked concern over the reliability of AI-generated information. Despite Google’s assurances that these errors stem from “uncommon queries” and ongoing efforts to refine the system, the mistakes highlight the broader issue of AI hallucinations, where AI generates incorrect or nonsensical responses. Google’s deployment of this technology on a large scale has exposed the challenges of ensuring accurate information delivery.

Good old fucksmith pic.twitter.com/b4tsG0zDMl

— Build More Trains (@here4discourse) May 23, 2024

@here4discourse chiming in with the famous r/fucksmith Reddit posting which jokingly proposed adding glue to cheese in pizza, which was subsequently referenced (Twitter (X)/Supplied)

The Future of AI in Search

While AI proponents argue that these issues are part of the technology’s growing pains, the current state of AI in search engines like Google raises questions about its readiness for widespread use. Users are urged to remain cautious and verify AI-generated information independently.

(Read the full story on The Verge.)

*An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story.