Google scraps AI feature that crowdsourced amateur medical advice. Find the reason behind the decision

The feature, called “What People Suggest,” has been quietly removed by the company, reported The Guardian, citing three people familiar with the decision.

A Google spokesperson confirmed to the newspaper that the feature had been scrapped.

According to the company, the move is part of a “broader simplification” of its search page and is not related to concerns about the quality or safety of the feature.

The development comes as Google faces growing scrutiny over its increasing use of artificial intelligence to provide health information and advice to millions of users.

In January, an investigation by The Guardian reported that people could be put at risk due to false or misleading health information appearing in Google’s AI Overviews.

The newspaper said Google initially attempted to downplay the findings of the investigation.

During the launch of the feature, Karen DeSalvo, then Google’s chief health officer, had highlighted its benefits in a blog post.

“While people come to Search to find reliable medical information from experts, they also value hearing from others who have similar experiences,” DeSalvo wrote.

“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’,” the post added.

When asked by The Guardian about the reason behind the decision to remove the feature, the Google spokesperson reiterated that the move was not linked to safety concerns.

“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,” the spokesperson said.