Why your Google search results may look different (2024)
(NEXSTAR) – Next time you turn to Google with a question, you may be given an “experimental” answer.
Google has recently started testing generative AI – or artificial intelligence – tools in it search results. Now, when you type in a question or a series of keywords, you may see a paragraph of text generated up top.
The AI-produced summary is meant to help you understand a topic more quickly, Google said when announcing the feature last year. Underneath the AI overview are links allowing you to dive deeper into your search.
Above the text is a disclaimer: “AI overviews are experimental.”
AI-powered overviews aren’t available for all searches, Google says.
Google also admits the overviews may not hit the nail on the head every time. “Because generative AI is experimental and a work in progress, it can and will make mistakes,” the company writes.
Not only will AI tools sometimes “misunderstand” the nature of your question or search topic, they could also completely make something up.
“When generative AI invents an answer, it’s called a hallucination,” the company says. It’s because of how large language models, or LLMs, work. They don’t just gather information that’s already published on the internet. These models actually try to “predict which words come next based on user inputs,” says Google.
One example of a “hallucination,” according to Google Support, might happen if you ask about the future. If you ask a generative AI tool who will win a gold medal at the Olympics in 2032, it may give you an answer, even though the real answer is unknowable.
If you’d like to remove AI overview from your search results, Google offers instructions on how to do so.
Not only will AI tools sometimes “misunderstand” the nature of your question or search topic, they could also completely make something up. “When generative AI invents an answer, it's called a hallucination,” the company says. It's because of how large language models, or LLMs, work.
For example, we regularly add new content from the web soon after it's published. Those who search a few hours or even a few minutes apart may find variations because of newly available content. There are data centers around the world that Search uses.
[Tweet “Factors for varying results in Google include location, personalisation and algorithm changes.”] The main reasons for users getting varying results in Google are location, personalisation and algorithm variations.
Based on that address, it will provide customized search results nearest to (or most related to) that area. Even two people in Raleigh can have different results based on their unique neighborhood and zip code.
For example, enter "topic -site” or “topic -word” to omit specific sites or terms from appearing in your search outcomes. Request exact match search results by enclosing your search phrase within quotation marks. Google will exclusively display exact matches for the entire phrase, ensuring relevance to your query.
Clearing browser cache and cookies can often resolve issues with Google search not working. Over time, these files can accumulate and cause conflicts, resulting in search problems. By clearing the cache and cookies, you can remove any outdated or corrupted data, allowing the browser to function properly.
Experts have differing opinions on the quality of Google search. Some argue that the search results have become less accurate and reliable over time, while others believe that Google has made significant improvements in understanding and delivering relevant information to users.
Relevancy is determined by hundreds of factors, which could include information such as the user's location, language, and device (desktop or phone). For example, searching for "bicycle repair shops" would show different results to a user in Paris than it would to a user in Hong Kong.
Google results are constantly changing. While fluctuations vary for different search queries, search results are never static. New information, an uptick in interest, or current events can all have an impact on what you see when you Google something.
In early 2024, Google rolled out a new UI update to a small number of accounts. The full update was rolled out to all users on March 4th, 2024. The new UI update primarily consists of visual changes. These include changes in the layout, structure, and design of Google pages.
In March 2024, Google announced “more complex update than our usual core updates”, focusing on the relevance of search results and quality of content. This is likely a reaction to the rise of AI-generated content—to combat content that provinces little to no value to users.
Sometimes that can mean cropping or merging stock images. It could involve supplementing them with some of our own stylings or add a headline. No matter what we do, though, we try to come up with the perfect visual for our message rather than settling for what's available with a few mouse clicks.
Introduction: My name is Mr. See Jast, I am a open, jolly, gorgeous, courageous, inexpensive, friendly, homely person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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