Google Caught Replacing News Headlines with AI-Generated Gibberish

Googles attempts to integrate AI into user-facing features have repeatedly produced questionable results. From flawed AI summaries to inaccurate image search outputs, users have frequently encountered content that is misleading or plainly incorrect. Now, the companys personalized news feed, Google Discover, is displaying headlines that appear to be generated by AI and often replace the original titles of articles, according to The Verge.

These AI-crafted headlines have caused confusion and raised concerns about how they affect the credibility of online publications. For example, one headline claimed BG3 players exploit children, referring to the popular game Baldurs Gate 3. The actual article from PC Gamer discussed how players used in-game mechanics to duplicate virtual children within the game, not real-life exploitation.

Another instance involved a four-word headline reading Steam Machine price revealed, even though Valve had not officially announced any pricing. The original Ars Technica headline clarified, Valves Steam Machine looks like a console, but dont expect it to be priced like one.

Google includes a small notice beneath some Discover links stating that certain content is generated with AI, which can make mistakes. This raises questions about why AI-generated headlines were introduced, and whether they offer any advantage over human-written titles beyond saving space on mobile screens.

A Google representative told The Verge that the changes are part of a limited interface test for a small group of Discover users. The spokesperson explained, We are testing a new design that changes the placement of existing headlines to make topic details easier to digest before they explore links from across the web.

Author: Gavin Porter