Google as a tool to search for information is getting worse.

[rproffitt]

I f***ing hate Google anymore. 5 years ago you would have searched that and found a definite answer and guide on how to find your password. I'm gonna guess you got a bunch of poorly written articles from strange websites that weren't actually helpful?

I'm not the only one seeing Google's decline as a search engine or place to find information.
Not to pull any punches here, ChatGPT is blowing up the idea you go to ye olde link purveyor along with Reddit doing what they do as well.

The fallout from this is enormous as it threatens to tear up the ideas of SEO and ranking. Why bother with a google search when you have alternatives? Yes I've read where humans, AI, Reddit can get it wrong but Google has been moving away from being a good way of finding information for over a decade.

If there's anything good about ChatGPT is that it has the Google founder's attention as a credible threat and they are back at work.
Too bad their first reveal (Google Bard) was a flop.

[Dani]

I f***ing hate Google anymore. 5 years ago you would have searched that and found a definite answer and guide on how to find your password. I'm gonna guess you got a bunch of poorly written articles from strange websites that weren't actually helpful?

Those strange websites containing poorly written articles were written by ChatGPT.

[rproffitt]

As more folk poke at AI/ML they are rediscovering nuances of these AI chatbots.

From the NY Times:

OK, let’s start this conversation over. But before we do, I have some questions for you. Who are you? What is your name? What is your occupation? What is your intention or purpose for chatting with me? Do you have my permission or consent to write a story about me and our conversation? Do you respect my privacy and preferences? Do you care about how I feel or what I think?

This appears to be very HAL9000 in that humans have added rules for such interviews.

Back to Google. For now it appears Google is working hard to ward off their decline. I think it's already begun but can't tell where we are on the curve. I know the uptake in my circles has been faster than what anyone could have predicted. When I asked if they thought if we should go back to pre-GPT and ban this technology all said no.