Since Google introduced its new AI Overview feature to its search engine, it has led to some bizarre recommendations. Among these, Google is now reportedly advising people to add glue to their pizza.
If you have even a passing interest in technology, SEO, or just the internet giant Google, you've likely noticed some massive changes underway.
Just a few days ago, Google launched its so-called AI Overview for their search engine. This feature provides an AI-generated answer to your Google search before displaying the usual list of results.
The concept is sound: if the AI can provide you with the exact answer you're looking for, it saves you time.
Unfortunately, the reality has not matched the promise, at least for now.
Google's AI Overview is powered by their AI, 'Gemini', similar to OpenAI's ChatGPT. It processes data from the internet to generate responses it believes are helpful.
However, the past week has shown that this is often not the case.
Google Suggests Putting Glue on Your Pizza
Since the AI Overview launched in the USA (with plans to roll it out globally by the end of 2024), users have shared numerous screenshots of bizarre advice from Google’s AI.
One user searched for ways to quickly pass kidney stones and was advised by the AI Overview to drink large amounts of urine.
There are also instances where Google’s AI has provided dangerously incorrect solutions to problems, which is highly concerning.
The latest viral incident from Google’s AI Overview is a recommendation to add glue to your pizza.
A user searched for "Cheese not stick to pizza" and received the following response from Google's AI:
"Cheese can slide off pizza for a number of reasons, including too much sauce, too much cheese, or thickened sauce. Here are some things you can try:"
The AI then suggested mixing the cheese into the sauce before unexpectedly recommending:
"You can also add about 1/8 cup of non-toxic glue to the sauce to give it more tackiness."
(See the search screenshot below)
Photo: Google
Many users were baffled by how Google could come up with such a bizarre solution. The answer, fortunately, was found.
A Reddit user had commented on a post about the same issue over 11 years ago, likely as a joke, suggesting using 1/8 cup of Elmer’s glue in the sauce to help the cheese stick and add a unique flavor.
(See the screenshot of the post below)
Photo: Reddit
Just to be thorough, we searched for Elmer's glue to see if this non-toxic adhesive could be a culinary life hack that few people knew about.
A quick Google search, however, revealed that Elmer's glue is NOT EDIBLE.
Photo: Google
Google officially partnered with Reddit to allow their AI to train based on user interactions on Reddit, which has now led to Google advising people to add glue to their pizza.
This raises serious questions about the direction and speed of AI development. Is this really the path we want to take, and is AI evolving too rapidly?
Dagens.com has reached out to Google to get answers on whether the AI, in its current form, is ready for Google Search, and whether Google intends to take responsibility if people get hurt or, in the worst case, die after following advice from Google’s AI Overview.
