Google defends AI search results after misleading advice to use glue on pizza

Google has faced criticism after its new AI-generated search results provided bizarre and inaccurate advice, such as suggesting people put glue on pizza to help the cheese stick and eat rocks.

In response, Google has linked these errors to “data voids” and edge cases, while also noting that some users deliberately posed odd questions to provoke erroneous results.

In a blog post by Liz Reid, Google's head of search, the company addressed the issues, stating that while AI Overviews generally don’t “hallucinate,” they sometimes misinterpret existing web content. Reid highlighted that millions of users engaging with the feature led to unexpected and nonsensical searches, further compounded by a spread of fake screenshots online.

Google has taken steps to fix the situation by limiting the appearance of AI Overviews for absurd queries and satire, ensuring more reliable search results. Despite these efforts, the AI rollout has been criticized as a PR misstep, especially as Google competes with AI search innovators like OpenAI and Perplexity.

As Google continues to refine its AI search capabilities, maintaining user trust remains a critical challenge following this incident.