Google’s AI tool gives dangerous advice
Listen to the story (New Zealand accent)
Google’s new tool, “AI Overviews,” has been getting some criticism.
The tool uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help people find information when they search on Google. However, it has been giving some strange advice.
For example, it told someone who wanted to make cheese pizza to use “non-toxic glue.” It also said that people should “eat one rock a day, according to geologists”. It even gave a recipe that uses gasoline to make a “spicy spaghetti dish”.
Google says these are just a few odd examples. They think the tool is working well overall. Most of the time, it gives good information and helps people find more details on the web.
Google says they are working to fix any problems they find.
Google started testing AI Overviews with some people in the UK in April. In May, they made it available to everyone in the US. The tool uses AI to summarize search results. This means people don’t have to look through lots of websites to find what they need.
It’s still being tested, but many people are likely to use AI Overviews and trust it. That’s because Google is the most popular search engine. More than 90% of all online searches are on Google.
Experts think AI tools like this are the future of search, even though they use a lot of energy. But these tools need to be reliable.
Other companies are also getting complaints about their AI tools. Microsoft is being criticized and investigated after the company said its new AI computers will record what people do on the internet.
Vocabulary30 words
- Tool
- a thing used to help do a job; a device with a specific function; instrument; equipment
- Artificial intelligence (AI)
- human intelligence in a machine; A system that can think and learn like a human; See more here.
- Strange
- Unusual or surprising; not normal; weird
- Advice
- Suggestions or ideas about what you should do;
- Non-toxic
- Not harmful and not poisonous
- Glue
- Something sticky that holds things together, usually white or clear;
- Rock
- stone; A hard, solid material that comes from the ground
- According to
- as ‘someone’ said; as stated by ‘someone’; in the opinion of ‘someone’
- Geologist
- A scientist who studies the solid parts and rocks of the Earth;
- Recipe
- Directions for making food; A set of instructions for making food
- Gasoline (gas)
- a liquid fuel used in engines; petrol
- Dish
- Food prepared in a particular way as part of a meal;
- Odd
- Different from what is usual or expected; Not happening often
- Overall
- in general; in all;
- Most of the time
- usually; often
- Details
- specific and important information about something
- Web
- Short for "World Wide Web," where you find websites; internet
- Test
- to do something to learn if it is safe, works correctly, etc.; try out
- Available
- able to be used: ready for use; accessible
- Summarize
- To tell something in a short way; To tell only the most important parts of a story;
- Search results
- The information you get when you look for something on Google or the internet
- Likely
- high chance; surely; high certainty; more than 70%
- Trust
- To believe/think that someone or something is good and honest
- Search engine
- a computer program or website that helps users find information on the internet (e.g., Google, Bing, and Yahoo are search engines)
- Expert
- a person with a lot of knowledge and experience in a trade, job or profession
- Energy
- fuel; electricity; power; oil
- Reliable
- Can be trusted or depended on; consistently good in quality or performance; you know it will work well or do a good job
- Complaint
- a statement that something is wrong or not satisfactory; to stay that something is not good
- Investigate
- to research; to study; to find out more
- Record
- To capture or save information; (record music or sound; record video; ?)
Quiz
Answer key
1. Use non-toxic glue 2. AI Overviews 3. True
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Google’s new _____, “AI Overviews,” has been getting some criticism.
The tool _____ artificial intelligence (AI) to help people find information when they _____ on Google. However, it has been giving some _____ advice.
For example, it told someone who _____ to make cheese pizza to use “non-toxic glue.” It also said that people _____ “eat one rock a day, according to geologists”. It _____ gave a recipe that uses gasoline to make a “spicy spaghetti _____”.
Google says these are just a few _____ examples. They think the tool is working well overall. Most of the _____, it gives good information and helps people find more details on the _____.
Google says they are working to fix any problems they find.
_____ started testing AI Overviews with some people in the UK in April. In _____, they made it available to everyone in the US. The tool uses AI to summarize search results. This _____ people don’t have to look through lots of websites to find what _____ need.
It’s still being tested, but many people are _____ to use AI Overviews and trust it. That’s because Google is the most _____ search engine. More than 90% of all online searches are on Google.
_____ think AI tools like this are the future of search, even though they use a lot of _____. But these tools need to be reliable.
Other _____ are also getting complaints about their AI tools. Microsoft is being criticized and _____ after the company said its new AI computers will _____ what people do on the internet.
Discussion questions
- What do you think about the strange advice given by AI Overviews?
- Do you think you would use AI Overviews? Why or why not?
- How would you feel if your internet activity was recorded by AI computers?
- What are your thoughts on the energy consumption of AI tools?
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