Google users outraged after new feature gives bizarre responses: 'How do you turn it off?'

From a simple word definition to a math problem or a philosophical question, humankind solicits Google for advice more than 8.5 billion times per day, according to SEO.AI. 

Since introducing Gemini, an AI assistant for the search engine, Google assuredly dispenses it, whether it's sort of right or outrageously wrong.

"Are babies newborn when they are born," one Redditor Googled. A strangely worded yet simple question that Google's search engine is designed to answer by quickly identifying keywords. 

Instead of presenting a definition for the word "newborn," or an article about newborns, Google's AI assistant confidently answered, "No, a baby is not considered a newborn when they are born since newborn refers to a baby that was just born."

This answer was ridiculous and useless — other than to provide a fun tongue-twister — but what's less humorous is the massive amount of resources required to power AI programs that actively make the consumer experience worse, even when the consumer was not looking to try them out.

"Nope," said the original poster. "Turning that off."

With little to no safeguards, search engine AI intensely disadvantages consumers with the swaths of misinformation dispensed. Users of all ages now need to learn new skills and tactics to protect themselves from AI misinformation.

"The internet has become a breeding ground for fake news and misinformation," said a study published in the Investigative and Clinical Urology journal, shared by the National Library of Medicine. 

It added that this has had "significant impacts across various sectors, including the world of finance and politics." 

Whether you're getting a bad answer to a simple question on Google or you're on the receiving end of a voice-cloning scam, it's too easy to become a victim of AI. 

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Additionally, mega-computers that are needed to power AI use massive amounts of energy and water. In its 2024 Environmental Report, Google shared that its carbon footprint has ballooned in the era of Gemini AI. Though Google has said it is on the road to net-zero emissions by 2030, its heat-trapping gas emissions have instead increased by 48% since 2019.

Most of this increase can be attributed to the rise of AI and rapidly growing energy needs, according to Google. AI computing is notoriously energy-hungry and requires robust data centers. "Our total data center electricity consumption grew 17%," Google said.

"Overall, our total GHG emissions increased by 13%," it noted, due to the "challenge of reducing emissions while compute intensity increases and we grow our technical infrastructure investment to support this AI transition." 

Overall, the Reddit community is not pleased with this feature. Many shared their own experiences, which range from comical to dangerously misinformed.

"What a waste of resources," one user said.

"How do you turn it off?" another asked.

"Wait, you can turn it off?" a third commenter added. "Please tell me how."

Two good options include adding "-ai" in any search or installing the Ecosia browser extension, which will replace your default search engine with one that uses zero AI and donates all advertising profits to planting trees.

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