Applications for artificial intelligence are growing every day, and it was only a matter of time before access to AI-powered searches became widespread. Google recently announced that it would be integrating AI into its search engine, a move they described as “reimagining” search. Google conducts 90 per cent of searches in Canada, and this move should raise alarm.

Today in The Conversation Canada, Blayne Haggart at Brock University examines why this is an issue of serious concern. Google’s business model relies on ad-generated revenue, and adding AI to the mix does not bode well.

“By now,” Haggart writes, “most users should be aware that LLM-powered chatbots are unreliable sources of information. This is because they are merely high-powered pattern recognition machines.” He describes Google search as “essential infrastructure,” and points out the dangers of relying on one company to organize information.

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