Google Patches Bug Causing AI Overviews to Incorrectly State the Year as 2024
AI tools are designed to assist with various tasks, including research, coding, summarizing, and writing. However, even the most sophisticated AI can sometimes stumble on simple questions. Recently, Google’s AI Overviews experienced a glitch where it incorrectly identified the current year as 2024.
Several users reported that when asked what year it was, Google’s AI Overviews responded with “2024”. Social media was quickly flooded with screenshots of the error.
The issue was confirmed and later resolved by Google on Thursday. When questioned about the cause of the error, Google did not provide a specific explanation but assured users that they are actively working on updates to prevent similar occurrences.
“As with all Search features, we rigorously make improvements and use examples like this to update our systems. The vast majority of AI Overviews provide helpful, factual information, and we’re actively working on an update to address this type of issue,” a Google spokesperson stated.
This isn’t the first time Google’s AI Overviews have provided questionable advice. Previous errors include recommending users to eat “one small rock per day” for vitamins and suggesting the use of glue to help cheese stick to pizza. Furthermore, when launched in Hindi in India, the feature often produced inconsistent and confusing answers, according to TechCrunch.
Despite these hiccups, Google remains committed to its AI-driven search enhancements. CEO Sundar Pichai recently announced that AI Overviews are being used by 1.5 billion users across more than 100 countries, driving over 10% usage of the search engine for related queries in key markets like the U.S. and India. Google is heavily invested in expanding the adoption of its AI-powered search and Q&A capabilities, as reported by TechCrunch.
The company hopes that continuous improvements and updates will refine the accuracy and reliability of AI Overviews, making it a valuable tool for users worldwide.
