TL;DR
After a Guardian investigation flagged misleading AI summaries for some health searches, Google has removed AI Overviews for specific liver-test queries. The company says it reviews and updates Search, while critics warn this may be a limited fix rather than a systemic solution.
What happened
The Guardian reported that Google’s AI Overviews produced potentially misleading guidance for some health-related searches, including answers about normal ranges for liver blood tests that did not account for factors like age, sex, ethnicity or nationality. Following that reporting, Google appears to have withdrawn AI Overviews for at least two queries — “what is the normal range for liver blood tests” and “what is the normal range for liver function tests.” The Guardian noted, however, that related phrasings such as “lft reference range” could still return AI-generated summaries. A TechCrunch reporter checked those queries hours after the Guardian’s story and did not see AI Overviews, though Google still offered an AI Mode prompt and often showed the Guardian story near the top. Google declined to comment on individual removals, said it is making broader improvements, and told the Guardian an internal clinician review found many highlighted results were not incorrect and tied to high-quality sites.
Why it matters
- AI-generated summaries for medical searches can omit context that affects clinical interpretation, posing risks to users seeking health information.
- Search providers are under pressure to balance generative AI features with accuracy and safety, especially for sensitive topics like health.
- A patch that removes specific queries may reduce immediate harm but does not address systemic evaluation of AI outputs across many phrasing variations.
- Independent reporting and clinician review are influencing how large platforms adjust AI features in search results.
Key facts
- Guardian investigation found AI Overviews sometimes offered misleading information for health queries.
- Google removed AI Overviews for queries about normal ranges for liver blood tests and liver function tests.
- The Guardian reported that variations such as “lft reference range” could still trigger AI-generated summaries.
- A TechCrunch reporter checked the queries several hours after the Guardian story and did not see AI Overviews, though AI Mode remained available.
- Google told the Guardian it does not comment on individual removals and is focused on making broad improvements to Search.
- Google said an internal team of clinicians reviewed the flagged queries and concluded many results were supported by high-quality websites.
- The British Liver Trust called the removal “excellent news” but expressed concern that turning off specific results does not solve broader issues with health-related AI Overviews.
- Google previously announced health-focused Search improvements and new AI models aimed at healthcare use cases.
What to watch next
- Whether Google will extend removals or apply broader changes to AI Overviews for other health-related queries — not confirmed in the source.
- Any public updates from Google detailing how clinician reviews influence changes to AI-generated search summaries — not confirmed in the source.
- If Google modifies the AI Mode prompt or its visibility for medical queries to reduce potential misuse — not confirmed in the source.
Quick glossary
- AI Overview: An automatically generated summary presented by a search engine that condenses information from multiple sources.
- LFT (liver function tests): A set of blood tests used to assess the health and function of the liver; reference ranges may vary by individual factors.
- AI Mode: A search interface option that invites users to engage with AI-generated responses or summaries.
- Clinician review: An evaluation of medical content performed by healthcare professionals to assess accuracy and safety.
Reader FAQ
Why did Google remove the AI Overviews?
The removals followed a Guardian investigation that flagged misleading information in certain health-related AI Overviews.
Which queries lost AI Overviews?
The Guardian says AI Overviews were removed for “what is the normal range for liver blood tests” and “what is the normal range for liver function tests.”
Are similar queries still showing AI-generated summaries?
The Guardian reported that variations like “lft reference range” could still return AI summaries; a TechCrunch check hours later did not reproduce those Overviews.
Did Google explain the removals?
Google declined to comment on individual removals, said it is working on broad improvements, and noted an internal clinician review found many results were supported by quality sites.
Is there proof this problem is widespread?
not confirmed in the source
Following an investigation by the Guardian that found Google AI Overviews offering misleading information in response to certain health-related queries, the company appears to have removed the AI Overviews for…
Sources
- Google removes AI Overviews for certain medical queries
- 'Dangerous and alarming': Google removes some of its AI …
- The Guardian: Google AI Overviews Gave Misleading …
- Concerns raised over Google AI Overviews and health …
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