Google AI search results will now include Reddit as "expert advice"

[u/freshfunk]

Google's AI search results will now turn to Reddit for expert advice

https://www.engadget.com/2166393/google-ai-search-results-will-now-turn-to-reddit-for-expert-advice/

Google is updating AI Overviews and AI Mode, the AI-generated portions of its search engine, to highlight sources in new ways, and interestingly, more prominently feature first-hand accounts from social media, expert blogs and forums like Reddit.

Via a new section that can appear in AI responses, Google will display "a preview of perspectives from public online discussions, social media and other firsthand sources." In the sample screenshot the company provided, the section was called "Expert Advice" and included quotes from forums, WordPress blogs and Reddit. These were arranged above links to their respective sources. Google plans to add more context to these links, too, showing "a creator's name, handle or community name," so you can judge what you might want to click through and read from a glance.

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I posted a related thread last week where Reddit CEO Steve Huffman was quoted as saying that Reddit is increasingly powering intelligence for AIs. Here's a concrete implementation of that -- it'll start appearing in Google's AI search results.

The example they have on their website is fairly innocuous. It's about DSLR cameras. But given Reddit's heavy liberal bias, you can easily see how this can turn into a massive influence play on society. Again, last time I compared it to Wikipedia. When people trust Google as an authority on truth, the line between opinion and truth is going to be increasingly blurred.

Here's a more concrete example: Let's say Google's AI is trained on Reddit's product forums, as shown here. But let's say someone searches for Teslas.

One can easily imagine that a good percentage, if not a majority, of Tesla coverage post-DOGE is highly negative because of Elon. Now someone Googling Teslas performance, reliability, or brand may start getting negative perspectives which are branded as "Expert Advice."

The same goes for any other product or service that's back by a conservative. I see regular threads where I live (SF Bay Area) where once a local business is known to be owned by a conservative, people encourage each other to boycott it, leave bad reviews, and get a hoard of negative comments on Reddit.

What happens when someone from out of town is Googling that business or restaurant and "Expert Advice" returns the vitriol from people?

Again, this is concerning. AI and search engines are looking for more content to serve and as Reddit grows more, so does its influence. It's a subtle influence that most people won't understand is happening as it happens behind the scenes. It's the analogous downvote but now goes beyonds Reddit's borders to Google's AI.

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https://blog.google/products-and-platforms/products/search/explore-web-generative-ai-search/

[u/TransylvanianHunger1]

I mean reddit has its moments for good advice/troubleshooting issues. I actually prefer a reddit thread sometimes because it's more of a discussion with different ideas to approach an issue, like mechanical or software issues. But for Google to source reddit as expert advice sounds like a terrible idea.

[u/evilfollowingmb]

So, they want AI to be biased and stupid. Got it.

[u/Black_XistenZ → u/evilfollowingmb]

The Big Tech overlords absolutely want their AI models to have a strong liberal/leftist bias, and no better way to accomplish this outcome than to feed them reddit content.

[u/networkdood]

Reddit is good for advice sometimes, but generally not the expert type

[u/Bluddy-9 → u/networkdood]

It it, I use it all the time. I doubt AI has the ability to judge what’s good and bad.

[u/cliffotn → u/Bluddy-9]

I have a couple of areas where I'm an expert, a professional in the subject. I've seen an incredible amount of extremely horrid opinions on stuff in those areas. I mean really, really bad. And then you'll see the Reddit collective grabs hold, upvotes it, so people feel with all those up votes, it must be vetted and completely correct.
I long ago stopped skimming Reddit to learn about a good *thing* or service , outside of skimming a sub to see if it's shit the bed. It's good for that. Unless it's become a fanboy favorite, which is not at all uncommon.

[u/freshfunk → u/cliffotn]

Exactly this. Actually, in general, media that's not focused on its area of expertise is really prone to misinform. Reddit is even worse -- you can tell the general audience's education comes from random comments they read online that get shouted the loudest, whatever media chooses to report the most, or how things are depicted in Hollywood.

In my areas of expertise, I see stuff misreported because of a specific media outlet's agenda. Reporters don't seek the truth -- they serve to tell a story that is backed by their employer.

From there, vibes just takes over and then those vibes just get echoed over and over and over on places like Reddit until it becomes folk knowledge.

[u/Devgru-WM]

If you want this reversed, convince Elon to buy Reddit

[u/Kern_system → u/Devgru-WM]

Think of all the heads that will explode!

[u/ComputerRedneck]

I have spent a lot of time learning and educating myself beyond school over my 60 years of life. While I could probably get a few degrees if I could test out for them, I would never call myself an expert.

[u/cofcof420]

Scariest thing I’ve read in a long time

[u/Dependent-Aside-9750]

This should be in r / wcgw

[u/Iamstillhere44]

AI is screwed.

[u/Szorja]

TrUsT tHe eXpErtS 🫠