‘Dangerous and alarming’: Google removes some of its AI summaries after users’ health put at risk
Google removed some of its AI health summaries after a Guardian investigation found they provided inaccurate and false information, putting users at risk. The AI Overviews, which use generative AI to provide snapshots of essential information, served up misleading information about liver function tests, potentially leading seriously ill patients to wrongly think they were healthy. Google has removed AI Overviews for the search terms 'what is the normal range for liver blood tests' and 'what is the normal range for liver function tests'. However, experts remain concerned that AI Overviews for other health topics may still be inaccurate and confusing.
In one case that experts described as “dangerous” and “alarming”, Google provided bogus information about crucial liver function tests that could leave people with serious liver disease wrongly thinking they were healthy.
Typing “what is the normal range for liver blood tests” served up masses of numbers, little context and no accounting for nationality, sex, ethnicity or age of patients, the Guardian found.