Google ends crowdsourced AI health advice feature: Find out why

Google has cancelled a new AI search feature that provided users with crowdsourced health advice from amateurs globally.

A Google spokesperson confirmed that the company had scrapped the “What People Suggest” feature. The move comes as a part of a “broader simplification” of its search page.

When asked about the safety reasons, the spokesperson said, “It had nothing to do with the quality or safety of the feature, and we continue to help people find reliable health information from a range of sources, including forums with first-person perspectives that people find incredibly useful.”

Earlier, the company dubbed the feature a “revolutionary use of AI to transform health outcomes globally,” as it provides medical advice from people who experienced similar medical conditions.

Karen DeSalvo, then Google’s chief health officer, wrote a blog post, stating, “While people come to search to find reliable medical information from experts, they also value hearing from others who have similar experiences.”

He added, “That’s why we’re making it even easier to find this type of information on Search with a new feature labelled ‘What People Suggest’”

As reported by the Guardian, the recent revelation comes as the company is facing increasing scrutiny over the dubious use of AI in delivering health advice to millions of users.

In January, a report published by the Guardian found that Google AI Overviews were being responsible for putting people’s lives at risk through misleading information.

Days later, Google also restricted Google AI Overviews feature to some medical queries over the safety concerns.