Google has removed some AI-generated summaries for health-related search questions after concerns were raised about accuracy. The move follows an investigation by The Guardian, which found that some of Google’s AI Overviews gave misleading or incomplete medical information.
AI Overviews are short summaries created by artificial intelligence. They appear at the top of Google search results and are meant to quickly answer users’ questions. However, the investigation found that some health-related answers could confuse people or even cause harm.
According to The Guardian, Google’s AI Overviews provided large sets of medical numbers without proper explanation. This happened for questions like “What is the normal range for liver blood tests?” and “What is the normal range for liver function tests?” The summaries did not explain that test results can change based on factors such as age, sex, ethnicity, or nationality.
In contrast, when users searched for the same questions, Google sometimes showed a “featured snippet” instead. Featured snippets are taken directly from websites and are not written by AI. In these cases, Google used information from Max Healthcare, an Indian hospital chain, listing normal levels of liver enzymes like ALT, AST, and ALP.
The investigation also found that slightly different search terms, such as “LFT reference range,” still triggered AI Overviews. Liver function tests are blood tests used to check how well the liver is working.
In another example, Google’s AI reportedly advised people with pancreatic cancer to avoid high-fat foods. Medical experts warned that this advice could be dangerous and may increase the risk of death for such patients.
Experts say this highlights a major problem with AI systems, which can sometimes “hallucinate” or make up incorrect answers when they are unsure.
Euronews contacted Google for a response but did not receive an immediate reply. Meanwhile, Google has announced plans to expand AI Overviews to Gmail, allowing users to ask questions about their emails instead of searching manually.
