Author Topic: Google has changed to AI output screen. Just noticed. (Read 1486 times)

RJSV · « **on:** October 28, 2024, 06:01:37 am »

Anybody else notice ?
Google now puts search output as 'AI' and lists. Starts as a dim set of graphic rows which then brighten with the top search result.
I haven't seen any announcement.

RJSV · « **Reply #1 on:** October 28, 2024, 06:11:32 am »

Weird thing is, I'm getting the usual older screen look, of Google now, so I'll have to see how this goes, over next day or so.

The newer look does not have the usual auto-complete list, not like the expected screen appearance, where you view maybe 8 or 10 autocompleted rows of search possibilities.

At any rate, I'll keep an eye out for how that happens. Seems like it's back to listing stuff, as you are typing in your search term.

ebastler · « **Reply #2 on:** October 28, 2024, 06:24:22 am »

They have announced "AI Overviews" earlier this year. Is that what you are referring to?

https://blog.google/products/search/generative-ai-google-search-may-2024/
https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/14901683?hl=en

(Strangely, the pictures in the blog article only show empty mobile phone screens for me, and very minimalist desktop search masks. And I don't see anything marked as "AI" in the Google search results so far, probably because I am based in Europe and they are piloting this in the US only.)

RJSV · « **Reply #3 on:** October 28, 2024, 06:53:03 am »

Thanks. Perhaps they are doing occasional and random use, as I don't see it. When it did happen I was busy and just focused on whatever results I needed right then.

But it appears as, full screen empty with only one line of text at very top.
Second line just has 'AI' , × which is a star shaped character next to 'AI'...
I had just ignored it.
Then, slowly, some horizontal fields start getting brighter, containing text that is just 'search results' listed...doesn't seem any smarter.

tom66 · « **Reply #4 on:** October 28, 2024, 09:37:47 am »

It's just generative AI (the star is 'Gemini', the name of the AI model). The regular results are below. I have found their generative AI to be quite a bit behind OpenAI's GPT models and put far less trust in it.

807 · « **Reply #5 on:** October 28, 2024, 01:38:57 pm »

Does AI stand for Artificial Ignorance? I Googled about my new Samsung Galaxy A25 5G phone. I wondered if I could connect the USB-C to an HDMI monitor/TV. Every website I read said that it wasn't possible for that phone. Samsung themselves said that the A series weren't capable of video output.

But according to AI Overview, it was possible. What rubbish! Where does AI Overview get it's info?

johnk0gcj@gmail.com · « **Reply #6 on:** October 28, 2024, 05:22:21 pm »

'Artificial intelligence' is an oxymoron. Synonyms of artificial: fake, bogus, counterfeit, feigned.

tom66 · « **Reply #7 on:** October 28, 2024, 05:34:00 pm »

Quote from: 807 on October 28, 2024, 01:38:57 pm

Does AI stand for Artificial Ignorance? I Googled about my new Samsung Galaxy A25 5G phone. I wondered if I could connect the USB-C to an HDMI monitor/TV. Every website I read said that it wasn't possible for that phone. Samsung themselves said that the A series weren't capable of video output.

But according to AI Overview, it was possible. What rubbish! Where does AI Overview get it's info?

Generative AI is prone to hallucinations, in other words, making up shit

Don't use it to determine fact vs fiction. Ironically, this is exactly what Google are doing, because they are scared people will stop using Google as much and use ChatGPT... but that's their choice.

There are legitimate uses for generative AI. I use it occasionally to help me debug problems, to that end, the AI becomes a bit like the duck in rubber duck debugging, though a somewhat (apparently) intelligent one. I also use it to create simple scripts to solve problems here and there.

I would never use it in a way where it could cost significant time and/or loss to my client or employer if it went wrong. It's purely a productivity tool. Use it for that and understand when and where it can go wrong and you'll probably be alright.

iMo · « **Reply #8 on:** October 28, 2024, 05:51:50 pm »

ChatGPT is a pretty useful tool. Who says it is an idiotic nonsense he/she/it has never entered an intelligent question into it, imho..

The problem today is ChatGPT's "AI" requires pretty good user's "IQ".

When I know the answer, say, with my 50-80% confidence, I ask AI (twice or three times) and when the pattern in the AI's answers matches my current understanding of the proper answer my confidence level gets higher.
It is up to me how I process and finalize the information afterwards.

RJSV · « **Reply #9 on:** October 28, 2024, 07:08:58 pm »

But I'm still not sure how I've gotten into that AI format, when just went to google.com. Maybe it's going to the newer way at random, as a way to 'introduce' long time users to the AI responding type of search.

Instead of one liners, on results, you get a paragraph on each separate response (and end up scrolling down as you read.)
But that takes away from your ability to 'skim' down, quickly, to read what you wanted in the first place.

At bottom, there is the statement that:

'Generative AI is experimental'

MrMobodies · « **Reply #10 on:** October 28, 2024, 08:31:09 pm »

Quote from: 807 on October 28, 2024, 01:38:57 pm

But according to AI Overview, it was possible. What rubbish! Where does AI Overview get it's info?

It just looks to me like their "Answers".

janoc · « **Reply #11 on:** October 28, 2024, 08:56:43 pm »

Quote from: RJSV on October 28, 2024, 07:08:58 pm

But I'm still not sure how I've gotten into that AI format, when just went to google.com. Maybe it's going to the newer way at random, as a way to 'introduce' long time users to the AI responding type of search.

They are likely doing some A/B testing. Very common. You got "lucky" and they served you the experimental version of the website to collect info about how you interact with it.

tom66 · « **Reply #12 on:** October 28, 2024, 10:09:02 pm »

Yes, definitely A/B testing. Generative AI is expensive. For some reason they've determined you are a good candidate. Might be at random, might be for users they deem most likely to be using GPT.

Interestingly for me at least, on my home PC and home Google account, they are offering it. On my work laptop I'm not logged into any Google account and it is not offered there, but I definitely ask more technical questions via Google on the work laptop than at home. So it might just be random, but with only two data points it's hard to say.

RJSV · « **Reply #13 on:** October 28, 2024, 10:50:47 pm »

If the thingy in front of my face is not alive, then I don't feel empathy or mercy instincts:

I've been known to be cruel and manipulative, to any bot. Asking Google the meaning of 'the' or asking chatSTD why it thinks it should be allowed to exist.
Then...I ask it if it knows I've been mocking it's name.

Nothing too advanced for me, to try and take it down!

Infraviolet · « **Reply #14 on:** October 29, 2024, 07:08:21 pm »

For those seeing changes:
1. which browser are you using, and is it provising the normal user agent or have you changed this
2. is this when you use google search whilst logged in to a gmail account, or pccuring also, or only, when not logged in to one

I haven't seen anything new myself (Firefox ESR, not logged in to a gmail account).

Maybe we can work out who in particular this is being seen by?

RJSV · « **Reply #15 on:** October 29, 2024, 09:45:28 pm »

Infraviolet: Your questions on conditions:
1.). Browser: Well, it's an Alcatel smartphone, runs under Android. However, as to further details, CHAOS rules the day, meaning that 'changes' are simply placed by downloads, and they do whatever they §§§§§§§ please. That means how fast various timeouts happen, what text entry shortcuts and phone use shortcuts THEY seem as an 'update'...to Google play or whatever else.
MY wishes don't show up on the radar.

2.). Question about when AI type output happens: Not inside any account, although of course Google app is running.

The AI trial screen is now into a few days, and seems to be more frequent.
Thing is, it seems to want to only present the TOP SEARCH item. That's it, no list, no second search result, just what it ####ing pleases.
An elaborate answer, with only the first search hit, no list of findings.

aeg · « **Reply #16 on:** October 29, 2024, 11:20:17 pm »

For the "My filters" tab of your uBlock Origin settings:

Code: [Select]

! Google SERP AI crapola
! From https://old.reddit.com/r/uBlockOrigin/comments/1ezeiud/blocking_google_ai_overview/
google.*##:xpath(//h1[text() = "AI Overview"]/following-sibling::div)

flipper · « **Reply #17 on:** October 30, 2024, 03:19:43 am »

Gosh how I LOVE “AI”… /S

I once asked ChatGPT to FORMAT a chat log and output it as iMessage chat bubble HTML code, whereupon it took it upon (it?)self TO GENERATE A COMPLETELY FABRICATED PARAGRAPH ABOUT MY LIFE! Yes, it made up a “story” about my earlier life and sandwiched it into the chat log.

What the frick? These Silicon Cali goons need a good slap.

807 · « **Reply #18 on:** October 31, 2024, 12:45:41 pm »

Quote from: tom66 on October 28, 2024, 10:09:02 pm

Yes, definitely A/B testing. Generative AI is expensive. For some reason they've determined you are a good candidate. Might be at random, might be for users they deem most likely to be using GPT.

Interestingly for me at least, on my home PC and home Google account, they are offering it. On my work laptop I'm not logged into any Google account and it is not offered there, but I definitely ask more technical questions via Google on the work laptop than at home. So it might just be random, but with only two data points it's hard to say.

Same here. The response I got in my previous post was on my pc automatically logged in to my Google acount. When I use my laptop which isn't currently linked to my Google account, I don't get any AI Overview responses.

I always just scroll past the AI response anyway.

Using firefox on both machines.

Simmed · « **Reply #19 on:** October 31, 2024, 12:51:53 pm »

btw
did you all see the news ?
google fined $20 decillion by russian court

SiliconWizard · « **Reply #20 on:** October 31, 2024, 08:51:47 pm »

Quote from: 807 on October 31, 2024, 12:45:41 pm

Quote from: tom66 on October 28, 2024, 10:09:02 pm
Yes, definitely A/B testing. Generative AI is expensive. For some reason they've determined you are a good candidate. Might be at random, might be for users they deem most likely to be using GPT.

Interestingly for me at least, on my home PC and home Google account, they are offering it. On my work laptop I'm not logged into any Google account and it is not offered there, but I definitely ask more technical questions via Google on the work laptop than at home. So it might just be random, but with only two data points it's hard to say.

Same here. The response I got in my previous post was on my pc automatically logged in to my Google acount. When I use my laptop which isn't currently linked to my Google account, I don't get any AI Overview responses.

I always just scroll past the AI response anyway.

Using firefox on both machines.

Firefox too, I started seeing a AI-generated paragraph at the top of the links like, yesterday. Connected to a Google account too on the machine where I got this.

Analog Kid · « **Reply #21 on:** October 31, 2024, 09:33:27 pm »

Quote from: SiliconWizard on October 31, 2024, 08:51:47 pm

Firefox too, I started seeing a AI-generated paragraph at the top of the links like, yesterday. Connected to a Google account too on the machine where I got this.

Seeing the AI crap on top too. Opera here, and I have no Google accounts whatsoever.

SiliconWizard · « **Reply #22 on:** October 31, 2024, 09:43:33 pm »

Mentioned it earlier, but, currently, if I want anything like AI-digested searches, I use Perplexity. It does it relatively well (for now) with seemingly no ads.
I use Google search only occasionally these days anyway.


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Author Topic: Google has changed to AI output screen. Just noticed. (Read 1486 times)

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