Google Search: Difference between revisions

Since 2023, along with the boom and pushes to generative [[AI]], Google introduced AI-powered features onto the search engine, such as AI Overview and AI Mode. These features have caused several controversies and criticism either from users and publishers, highlighting these aspects:

*The inability to completely turn these AI features off from the search engine.

*Reduction of human traffic on sites as users are no longer needing to head over links to search information, damaging site publishers as a consequence.

*Privacy concerns.{{Citation needed|date=25 May 2026}}

The implementation of this feature has ended in some cases involving lawsuits due to the misinformation provided by hallucinations<ref>{{Cite web |last=Martin |first=Emmy |date=13 Jun 2025 |title=Minnesota Solar Company Sues Google Over AI Summary |url=https://www.govtech.com/public-safety/minnesota-solar-company-sues-google-over-ai-summary |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251130025033/https://www.govtech.com/public-safety/minnesota-solar-company-sues-google-over-ai-summary |archive-date=30 November 2025 |access-date=25 May 2026 |website=Government Technology}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=LTL LED, LLC, D/B/A Wolf River Electric VS Google LLC |url=https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mnd.225722/gov.uscourts.mnd.225722.1.1.pdf |url-status=live |website=Court Listener |author=State of Minnesota, County of Ramsey |date=6 Sep 2025}}</ref> and site owners suing Google for copyright infringements and antitrust practices.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Meek |first=Andy |date=14 Sep 2025 |title=Why Rolling Stone Owner Penske Media Just Declared War On Google |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/andymeek/2025/09/14/why-rolling-stone-owner-penske-media-just-declared-war-on-google/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260525204725/https://www.forbes.com/sites/andymeek/2025/09/14/why-rolling-stone-owner-penske-media-just-declared-war-on-google/ |archive-date=25 May 2026 |access-date=25 May 2026 |website=Forbes}}</ref> In June 2026, a German court made Google liable for false information and biases in the AI Overview answers. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Bastian |first=Matthias |date=11 Jun 2026 |title=Landmark German ruling declares Google's AI Overviews are Google's own words and makes it liable for false answers |url=https://the-decoder.com/landmark-german-ruling-declares-googles-ai-overviews-are-googles-own-words-and-makes-it-liable-for-false-answers/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260611211438/https://the-decoder.com/landmark-german-ruling-declares-googles-ai-overviews-are-googles-own-words-and-makes-it-liable-for-false-answers/ |archive-date=2026-06-11 |access-date=11 Jun 2026 |website=The Decoder}}</ref>

There's no official method to completely disable AI Overview from search results. However, adding <code>-ai</code> at the end of search queries prevents the AI Overview to appear.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stimac|first=Blake |date=20 Apr 2026 |title=How to Tell Google's AI Features to Leave You Alone, Once and for All |url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/how-to-tell-googles-ai-features-to-leave-you-alone-once-and-for-all/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260524051148/https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/how-to-tell-googles-ai-features-to-leave-you-alone-once-and-for-all/ |archive-date=2026-05-24 |access-date=25 May 2026 |website=CNet}}</ref> Other workarounds to disable AI overviews include searching under the Web category or adding <code>?udm=14&q</code> in the search link, after <code>https://www.google.com/search</code>and before the query name. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Cohen |first=Jason |date=20 May 2026 |title=Google’s AI Overviews Don't Have an Off Switch. 4 Tricks to Return to Traditional Web Results |url=https://www.pcmag.com/explainers/googles-ai-overviews-dont-have-off-switch-4-tricks-to-turn-them-off |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260527193918/https://www.pcmag.com/explainers/googles-ai-overviews-dont-have-off-switch-4-tricks-to-turn-them-off |archive-date=2026-05-27 |access-date=2 Jun 2026 |website=PCMag}}</ref>