Google has implemented a new artificial intelligence (AI) experiment that rewrites news headlines for some users in Google Discover, leading to concerns about accuracy and potential misinformation. The firm confirmed the new headlines are part of a “small UI experiment for a subset of Discover users.”
The feature impacts content on Google Discover, which users access by swiping right on Pixel or Galaxy home screens, scrolling in the Google app on iPhone, or opening a new Chrome browser window with Google as the homepage. AI-generated article previews now sometimes replace headlines and descriptions written by authors and editors.
Evidence of the initiative first appeared when The Verge staff writer Sean Hollister experienced the altered headlines. While some AI headlines appeared vague, others presented factual inaccuracies, according to reports. For instance, an AI headline stated, “Steam Machine price revealed,” though the original Ars Technica article indicated Valve’s Steam Machine would not be priced like a typical console. Another AI headline implied “Qi2 slows older Pixels,” while the original article merely stated that older Pixel phones cannot use the full extent of Qi2 fast-charging capabilities.
Concerns have also emerged regarding the AI’s capacity to generate misleading or potentially libelous headlines. In one instance, a PCGamer article with the original headline “Child labor is unbeatable” was rewritten by Google’s AI as “BG3 players exploit children,” presenting a significantly different and potentially harmful implication.
Google previously introduced similar AI previews in October, which included short AI summaries that users could expand. The current experiment, however, changes the placement of headlines, positioning the AI-generated text where original headlines typically appear.
Users can identify AI-generated headlines by several characteristics:
- Length: AI-generated headlines are frequently four words or fewer.
- Capitalization: These headlines often capitalize only the first word, diverging from standard editorial style guides.
- Attribution: Users can tap “See more” under the Discover preview to find a tag indicating “Generated with AI, which can make mistakes.” Articles with original headlines do not feature this button.
Google has confirmed no opt-out mechanism for this AI experiment is available to users at this time.
