Tech companies have been rapidly rolling out AI features across nearly everything we use, from photos to word processors. While these tools can be useful occasionally, there have been tons of reports of inaccurate and even dangerous responses from these artificial intelligences.
One home cook was simply trying to convert measurements and found that Google's AI couldn't even help them with that. Sharing a screenshot with the r/mildlyinfuriating subreddit, one poster lambasted AI after trying to find a simple measurement swap.
They wrote, "Google AI forcing the wrong info in your face." The included photo shows the search for "half of ⅔ cup in tbsp."
Below the search, viewers can see the automatically created response that gives the answer as "2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons."
Unfortunately, this is not the correct answer; while the wording is a little confusing, the OP is looking to convert one-third cup into tablespoons. According to Taste of Home, that equates to five tablespoons and one teaspoon.
This is not the first time Google's AI has produced less-than-accurate results; in one search, it determined that there were more than 1,024 stars in the universe. While results like this are comical, there are some much more serious stories.
In fact, there have been multiple times when chatbots have given potentially life-threatening answers when people went to them for help with feelings of sadness and loneliness. A student using Google's Gemini received a scary response, while someone using Microsoft Copilot faced similarly harrowing results, per the Times of India.
In addition to these silly, incorrect, and potentially dangerous results, AI has a massive environmental impact. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, "A request made through ChatGPT, an AI-based virtual assistant, consumes 10 times the electricity of a Google Search."
This information may no longer be 100% accurate since Google now also heavily pushes AI.
Unsurprisingly, commenters were not happy with the misleading information.
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Definitely 💯 "Always add -ai to the end of your search. The overview won't pop up," recommended one commenter who is fed up with the auto-populated responses.
Someone else expressed their frustration with tech companies, saying, "Definitely think they should ensure their AI isn't getting shit wrong before they insist on throwing it in our faces."
Another Redditor explained that they work in this industry and are working hard to make these tools more effective: "Part of the online work I do is reviewing these Google AI responses and verifying facts, accuracy, harmfulness etc... It pisses me off to no end when I get one so blatantly wrong because it means that the people I work with are probably just clicking through them without checking."
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