Google's AI Overviews misunderstand why people use Google

When judging the expertise or credibility of a source found via Google search, a user might consider the following criteria:

1. Author or Publisher: Check the author's credentials, background, and expertise in the topic. Look for their other publications and where they work. If it's a website, evaluate the publisher's reputation and their purpose for publishing the content.

2. Source Reliability: Assess the reliability of the sources used in the content. Are they citing reputable sources? Are the sources current and relevant to the topic?

3. Accuracy and Objectivity: Evaluate the accuracy and objectivity of the content. Are the facts supported by evidence? Does the content present a balanced view of the topic, or does it have a clear bias?

4. Currency: Consider the date of publication or last update. Depending on the topic, the currency of the information may be crucial.

5. Design and Aesthetics: While not a direct indicator of credibility, a well-designed website or professional-looking publication can suggest credibility.

6. Language and Tone: The language and tone of the content can provide clues about its credibility. Is it written in a professional, academic, or informal style? Does the tone seem objective or biased?

7. Purpose and Intent: Determine the purpose of the content. Is it informative, persuasive, or meant for entertainment? Understanding the intent can help you assess its credibility.

8. Consistency: Check if the information provided in the source is consistent with other reliable sources on the same topic.

9. Feedback and Reviews: Look for feedback or reviews from other readers or experts in the field. This can provide insights into the credibility of the source.

10. Domain and URL: While not a definitive indicator, the domain and URL can sometimes provide clues about the credibility of a website. For example, websites with .edu or .gov domains are typically more credible than commercial websites.

Remember, it's essential to evaluate multiple factors when assessing the credibility of a source, as no single criterion can guarantee reliability.

The potential drawbacks of Google's AI-powered search results providing neat, compact summaries are as follows:

1. Loss of Diversity in Answers: AI-powered summaries might lead to a loss of diversity in answers. The richness and variety of perspectives that different web pages offer could be lost, as AI summaries tend to focus on a single, authoritative answer.

2. Decreased Traffic to Websites: Websites could see a significant decrease in traffic as users get the information they need from the AI summaries, discouraging the creation of new content and potentially leading to less diverse and lower-quality content on the web.

3. Reliability Issues: AI models are only as reliable as the data they are trained on. If the data is not up-to-date or accurate, the AI-generated summaries could provide misleading or incorrect information.

4. Over-reliance on AI: Users might become overly reliant on AI-generated summaries, potentially leading to a decrease in critical thinking skills and a lack of appreciation for the nuances and complexities of certain topics.

5. Limited Context: AI-generated summaries often lack the context and detail provided by full articles or web pages. This could lead to a superficial understanding of complex topics.

6. Potential for Bias: AI models can inadvertently perpetuate biases present in their training data. If these biases go unchecked, AI-generated summaries could provide skewed or prejudiced information.

7. Stifling of Creativity: The need for content to be easily summarizable by AI could lead to a homogenization of content, stifling creativity and innovative ways of presenting information.

8. Monetization Challenges: It's unclear how Google will monetize AI-generated search results. If ads are incorporated into these summaries, it could lead to a poor user experience. If not, Google might need to find new revenue streams.

These potential drawbacks highlight the need for careful consideration and ongoing evaluation of the use of AI in search engines like Google.