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Google Tests AI Search on Its Homepage (cnbc.com) 22

Posted by msmash from the going-all-in dept.
Google's stalwart search button has a new neighbor: AI Mode. From a report: The artificial intelligence feature is being tested directly beneath the Google search bar beside a "Google Search" button, replacing the "I'm Feeling Lucky" widget. The new feature, though not widely available yet, is being tested in a location where Google rarely makes changes.

Google Tests AI Search on Its Homepage More | Reply

Google Tests AI Search on Its Homepage

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  • At this point in time the two letters "AI" in front of a piece about a product signify only one thing - as evidenced by the brief, meaningless summary - dumb marketing drivel.

    And no, I'm not clicking your bait.

    • Google has been giving me AI answers before search results for about a year now. I am skeptical, however, I find the AI answers very informative. I only use google for things like: "are tomatoes healthy?", and simple things. Some recipes. Sometimes things like: "why is thee sky blue". Nothing that they can track me on, try not to, sometimes I slip up. The AI does pretty good, and they give links below that I find credible, and supports the AI's assertions.

      • My experience is the opposite, the results have been less and less relevant for years - ever since google started sprinkling advertising in-between them - and now it has gotten to the point that the relevant stuff is sprinkled on page 6 or 7 among chaff.

        Even looking up shit on wikipedia and following the references is now way better, plus it usually has correct translation to a number of languages and at times real nuggets in the "wikipedian" discussions and histories.

        And all of that - look, ma - with no "A

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by XXongo ( 3986865 )

          I am skeptical, however, I find the AI answers very informative....

          My experience is the opposite, the results have been less and less relevant for years -

          My experience is both.

          Search results have indeed been getting worse. I particularly am annoyed by searches in which my search term is not present on the page in the results.

          However, although I make a habit of NOT relying on the "AI" summary, I have noticed that, in general, the "AI" summary accurately reflects the information in the pages.

          I still don't trust it, though, and I want the original source, not the digested version.

          • I haven't used google for a few years now, so I have no idea how good or bad the AI part is. If it only summarizes the search results, I guess it should be doing a reasonable job of it. But as you say - which confirms my opinion - that still doesn't change the problem of what pops in the results in the first place.

  • I'm so glad Slashdot has reported on such a great experiment but I feel like they have missed the real story from a week ago.

    Now Google is offering a shit-on-a-stick option known as "Enshittiti Mode" for searches. Just type in your search and click, "I'm feeling shitty" and you'll get the ultimate enshitified results. The results are completely irrelevant to whatever you wanted to find and their AI offers new and more inane answers about questions you never asked. The links of course all lead to paid links with half of them offering malicious downloads because nothing should come before profit.

    Why wait for result quality to degrade slowly when you can push enshitification to enshittiti?

  • Google still has a search engine? Who cares.
    • Around 80–85% of all desktop search users over the past decade.

      Around 90% of searches across all platforms. Over 90% of searches on mobile.

      Who cares? Do you live on Mars?

      • Yeah, but 87% of statistics are made up on the spot.

        I was trying to make a point, that google search has been dying for years. I don’t have time to provide a more complete analysis, nor do I have research to provide numbers.

        In any case, you summarized long-term totals, but did not describe current trends. What percentage of current LLM is use actually basically just complex query? I question what these statistics would actually measure today. If they’re only including things like bing and
        • We get it.

          You don’t use Windows or macOS, you use {insert fringe alternative}. You don’t use iOS or Android, you use {insert fringe alternative}. You be you. But in your own words “Who cares?”

          • I care. I had some experiences this year that force me to care. Others should care. You don't realize the need for privacy until you realize the need for privacy. I wasn't doing anything wrong when I suddenly realized the need. It's impossible to find privacy today. I'm not a huge zealot for anything. I don't care that you don't care.
          • How it started: “Who cares?” (about Google) How it’s going: “I never really understood how google got so popular.”

            Your statement suggests some awareness of out of touch your question is. Take your time.

  • In the Google AI results this week, I was told Pope Leo XIV was a fictional character

  • Prevent the intellectual data and copyright theft, the centralization of money, the building of nuclear power plants, the layoffs of an entire hierarchy of hard working people--just by not using it. If you use it, you are evil.

  • Sorry, google has already lost the AI war.

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