Google’s artificial intelligence (AI)-based health tips can put people’s lives at risk. The AI overview, which appears above search results, can sometimes provide incorrect and misleading health information that can endanger one’s life.
Research by ‘The Guardian’
Research by the British newspaper, The Guardian, has revealed that Google claims that these summaries are helpful and reliable, but experts have called several examples dangerous.
Google advised pancreatic cancer patients to avoid high-fat foods, which experts say is completely wrong and can be harmful to the patient’s health.
Similarly, the information shared regarding liver function tests was also inaccurate, which could lead people with serious illnesses to believe that they are healthy.
Search results for women’s cancer tests, such as the Pap test, were also portrayed incorrectly.
Health experts have warned that such misinformation could keep people away from treatment or have life-threatening consequences.
Health Experts Overview
Sophie Randall, director of the Patients’ Rights Forum, said that Google’s AI overviews could risk the health of users by presenting incorrect information in online searches.
Stephanie Parker, of the Marie Curie charity, also said that “people rely on the internet in times of distress, and if the information is wrong, it can be harmful.”
According to the media reports, Google’s AI overviews also gave dangerous and incorrect advice on mental illnesses and eating habits.
Experts say that this information is not only wrong, but people can also stop seeking necessary help based on it.
Google’s Explanatory Statement
Google has responded by saying that most AI overviews are accurate and helpful and that the company is working to improve quality, but experts say that this misinformation in search results can pose a serious health risk.
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