Google’s new A.I. Overviews feature has sparked concerns among experts in the medical field as users encounter inaccuracies and odd answers to health-related questions. The generative A.I. technology, trained on information from across the internet, has the potential to provide valuable health advice but also poses risks by offering inaccurate information.
The tool has been shown to produce bad answers based on flawed sources, leading to potentially harmful advice being given to users. While Google has implemented guardrails for health searches, experts warn that the source of information is crucial when it comes to health advice.
The A.I. Overviews tool pulls information from various sources, including reputable medical websites like the Mayo Clinic and WebMD, as well as less reliable sources like Wikipedia and blog posts. This mix of sources can lead to confusion for users, who may not be able to distinguish between accurate medical advice and misinformation.
Experts emphasize the importance of approaching the new responses with caution and seeking advice from trusted medical professionals for accurate health information. While the A.I. technology has the potential to provide valuable insights, users should be aware of the limitations and potential risks associated with relying on machine-generated answers for medical advice.
