RAYMOND OGLESBY @RaymondOglesby2
July 23, 2024 – 3 minutes read time
This is for devices running Google or Bing. Screenshots are from Windows 10 desktop
Get the Latest Desktop Google Update
Open Google, click the 3-dot menu icon (upper right corner), then click the Settings option. If Google is outdated, it will automatically update.
Why You Will Like This Tip
- View your Google or Bing search results without an AI-generated summary.
- Narrow your search results to what you just want to preview.
Overview
We rely on Google every day to provide us information. But what happens when our source of knowledge becomes messy and unreliable? AI Overviews utilize Google’s Gemini AI to provide an answer to your query right on the search page; no need to click.
Using the AI Modifier
Still in its infancy, this feature occasionally surfaces incorrect information, so some web surfers look to disable it entirely. There are a few ways to make an AI Overview go away, but no method is as simple as tricking Google itself into getting rid of it. Google uses search modifiers, named operators, which help narrow search results. Here are a few examples:
- Use quotations (” “) to search for the exact phrase
- Add site: to search a single website
- Search for a certain type of file with filetype:
- Exclude terms with a minus (-) symbol. The minus symbol stands for NOT.
If we ask “who owns Facebook” an AI-generated summary will be displayed. Refer to the below image:
And if you add the term -AI at the end of the query, an overview is not generated. It’s a very simple solution to the AI Overview problem that can be quickly repeated on subsequent queries without needing multiple steps. See the below image:
However, it’s worth noting that this does not work because of the -AI modifier. On subsequent tests, we found that putting pretty much anything in there (Ex: -i, –sports, -farm) also did the same thing.
Summary
So, no, Google did not add a secret AI kill switch to its search engine. Instead, AI Overviews are likely only available under certain conditions, and by using a search modifier, you circumvent those parameters. Still, it’s an easy way to game the system until we get an easier way to disable these overlays.
Disclaimer
Technology is always changing. Rarely is there static tech for smartphones and desktops. Thus, the contents of this post are only valid at the time of writing. Blog posts older than six months may have directions incompatible with your device or OS. Hopefully, older post content will continue to work as advertised. Thank you for reading TechSavvy.Life for Technology at Work For You.
Quote For the Day
“Real gs move in silence like lasagna.”
Lil Wayne
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