Google removes multiple AI health summaries as experts warn ‘misleading’ results put people at risk

An investigation claimed that a number of health-related AI summaries were giving inaccurate or misleading information

Google has removed a number of its artificial intelligence health summaries after an investigation found that false or misleading information was reportedly being provided.

Earlier this month the Guardian found issues with multiple health-related AI Overview snapshots, which use generative AI to summarise key information at the top of search results.

In one example, the newspaper said that when asked the question “what is the normal range for liver blood tests”, the AI did not account for sufficient context, nor the nationality, sex, ethnicity or age of patients in response.

Experts warned this could leave severely unwell people incorrectly believing they have normal results and therefore not attending follow-up appointments.

Now Google has removed AI Overviews for that question and also “what is the normal range for liver function tests” searches, the newspaper reports. The company, which holds a more than 90 per cent share of the global search engine market, stressed that AI results are updated where context is found to be lacking.

Some artificial intelligence health summaries have been removed by Google (PA Archive)

A spokesperson told The Independent: “We do not comment on individual removals within Search. In cases where AI Overviews miss some context, we work to make broad improvements, and we also take action under our policies where appropriate.

“Our internal team of clinicians reviewed what’s been shared with us and found that in many instances, the information was not inaccurate and was also supported by high quality websites.”

Vanessa Hebditch, the director of communications and policy at charity British Liver Trust, welcomed the company’s response but warned there was still a risk from using AI for such important information.

“This is excellent news, and we’re pleased to see the removal of the Google AI Overviews in these instances,” she told the Guardian. “However, if the question is asked in a different way, a potentially misleading AI Overview may still be given and we remain concerned other AI‑produced health information can be inaccurate and confusing.”

Google’s AI Overviews use generative AI to summarise essential information at the top of search results (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

AI Overviews are still being provided after typing in slightly altered versions of the original queries, such as “lft reference range” or “lft test reference range”. Google said it is reviewing these fresh examples.

Ms Hebditch continued: “A liver function test or LFT is a collection of different blood tests. Understanding the results and what to do next is complex and involves a lot more than comparing a set of numbers. But the AI Overviews present a list of tests in bold, making it very easy for readers to miss that these numbers might not even be the right ones for their test.

“In addition, the AI Overviews fail to warn that someone can get normal results for these tests when they have serious liver disease and need further medical care. This false reassurance could be very harmful.”