Unless you’ve been living under a rock, chances are you’ve seen the Google AI Overview rollout. When Googling a query, you’ll most likely get hit with an AI Overview that summarizes page results. In theory, this eliminates the need for reading any of Google’s results since AI essentially spoon feeds you the answer you need — or does it?
The Reality of AI’s Explosion
Companies like Google are increasingly integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into their operations to enhance efficiency, improve customer experiences, and drive innovation. From utilizing AI-driven chatbots for customer support to deploying machine learning algorithms for data analysis and predictive maintenance, businesses are leveraging this technology to automate routine tasks and make informed decisions.
But think about it: AI has already been amongst us for a long time. Here are some ways AI has infiltrated our lives before it became the industry’s largest buzzword:
- Scheduling emails/social media posts
- Siri/Alexa
- Playing a video game against a computer-controlled character
- Literally Googling something
However, with the rise of ChatGPT, DALL-E, and other similar programs, artificial intelligence has taken on new life — and Google is one of the latest companies to jump into the fray with the introductions of Gemini and Google AI Overview.
The Upsides of Google AI Overview
Quick Summaries
When you Google something, you probably click either the first, second, or third link. But who wants to click all of those then sift through a link full of text, especially in a world where attention spans are rapidly decreasing?
With Google AI Overview, answers are summarized and deliver users with a truncated set of pertinent information. This is particularly useful when search queries are complex and thus require complex answers. Moreover, it’s a massive time saver for those who would rather not spend time sifting through random and potentially shoddy sources for information.
Receptive to Feedback
Google also allows users to provide detailed feedback on individual AI generations. As more feedback is received and algorithms continue to improve, Google’s AI Overview becomes smarter and better at understanding user intent. This means that users are more likely to find exactly what they’re looking for with just one click, rather than having to scroll through multiple pages.
The Downsides
Potentially Spreading Misinformation/Disinformation
Of course, as is with any AI program, there lies the potential for spreading misinformation, disinformation, and overall inaccurate information. However, considering Google AI Overview pulls information from top web sources rather than generating information out of thin air, the generated answers tend to be reliable for the most part.
Potential avenues for Google’s AI providing poor and/or inaccurate information include:
- Minimal information
- Uncommon requests/search queries
- Google misunderstanding search queries
- Intentionally inputting absurd search queries – like asking Google “how much glue to put on your pizza”
After going viral for its failures and misinterpreting an Onion article as factual, Google VP of Search Liz Reid chimed in. Writing in a blog, she said, “We saw AI Overviews that featured sarcastic or troll-y content from discussion forums.” On the other hand, she added, “Forums are often a great source of authentic, first-hand information, but in some cases can lead to less-than-helpful advice, like using glue to get cheese to stick to pizza.”
Regardless of such, users should always exercise caution when retrieving information from an AI-generated output, Google or not. Moreover, users should always double-check their answers, as AI Overview could provide inaccurate information at any time, given its infancy.
The Impact on SEO
Given that Google’s AI Overview agglomerates answers from top sites, there also lies the potential that companies will face throttled SEO. No matter how many good SEO practices a company can follow, the intersection of decreasing attention spans and ease of access Google’s AI provides users with little incentive to explore other websites. In fact, a preliminary study conducted months prior to AI Overview’s rollout saw a potential drop of 44%-75% of organic traffic.
An Overall Look of Google AI Overview
In all, Google AI Overview is innovative for users seeking answers in a pinch, but it should be met with caution. Companies focused on digital marketing strategies should be wary that their SEO will be impacted — so don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Consider alternative SEO strategies and social media penetration for full effect. Malleability and being able to pivot in the face of new challenges like AI Overview’s arrival is imperative for survival in the digital marketing sphere.
The most important concern, however, that AI Overview presents is the potential for spreading misinformation. Especially at a time when the media ecosystem is fractured and compromised, the rollout of AI Overview could potentially pose a major risk for society. Thus, brushing up and ensuring your media literacy is in tip-top shape is necessary as technology continues to improve at lightning speed.
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