An investigation prompted Google to take down AI-created health answers that were giving people wrong medical information, reported The Guardian.
What happened?
Unless you opt out, Google's AI Overviews tool pops up at the top when you run a search. The feature builds quick responses through generative AI, and Google markets it as a helpful and dependable resource.
The Guardian's investigation tested the tool with queries about blood work for testing liver function. The AI spit out reference numbers that ignored whether someone was male or female, young or old, or had other health factors.
Health professionals called the output "dangerous" and "alarming." A person dealing with a failing liver could read these AI-produced numbers, believe everything looked normal, and skip their next medical checkup.
"A liver function test or LFT is a collection of different blood tests. Understanding the results and what to do next is complex and involves a lot more than comparing a set of numbers," Vanessa Hebditch, the director of communications and policy at the British Liver Trust, told The Guardian.
The company took these summaries down for some liver test searches. But reworded queries like "lft reference range" still bring up the same flawed answers.
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Google runs 91% of search traffic globally. The investigation spotted more problems with how the AI talks about mental health and cancer. Experts have labeled it "completely wrong" and "really dangerous."
Why is AI health misinformation concerning?
Countless people already can't locate trustworthy medical guidance online. When the largest search platform gives them false health advice, real harm can happen.
AI systems consume tons of electricity and water while running. Tech companies keep launching more AI products, which means energy demand keeps climbing. This puts pressure on electrical grids and can drive up everyone's power bills.
The technology brings some positives. AI can make renewable energy networks run more efficiently and expedite access to information. But the negatives include heavy resource consumption, potential security holes, and failures when these systems get health topics wrong.
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Energy consumption ⚡ What's being done about these AI summaries?
Google deleted the AI summaries for those liver blood work queries. The company said it makes broader fixes when its tool leaves out important details.
Groups that advocate for patients say Google needs to do more.
"This is a good result but it is only the very first step in what is needed to maintain trust in Google's health-related search results," Sue Farrington, chair of the Patient Information Forum, told The Guardian.
When you search for medical advice online, cross-check all the information you find against established healthcare organizations, or talk to your doctor.
Don't base your choices on AI summaries alone, especially if you're trying to make sense of lab work or physical symptoms.
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