Is it possible to do an online search without AI? Bruce Saller finds out. Plus, this week Saller points readers toward new and interesting news dealing with the environment.
Yes, it is possible to use Google Search without the AI Overviews, which are a feature that summarizes search results using AI. You can achieve this by adding a modifier to your search query or by using specific settings in your browser or the Google app.
Here are a few methods to get traditional search results without AI Overviews:
1. Using a search modifier:
Add "-AI" or "-ar" to the end of your search query: This tells Google to exclude results with AI summaries. For example, instead of searching "how to make pizza", you would search "how to make pizza -AI".
Use Incognito Mode: Incognito mode in your browser will disable AI Overviews.
Add "&udm=14" to the URL: After performing a search, you can add "&udm=14" to the end of the URL in the address bar to get traditional search results, according to the Spiceworks Community. You can bookmark this modified URL for future use.
I believe those options only inhibit the AI summary from appearing and don't prevent the use of AI during the search. Here is the google note on this subject:
Turning off “AI Overviews and more” in Search Labs will not disable all AI Overviews in Search. AI Overviews are part of Google Search like other features, such as knowledge panels, and can’t be turned off.
Try it both ways for a given search. I get different answers I think.
there are several different ways to neuter it.. I haven't tried them all, just the "-AI"
and it seems to present some different links that with AI..
Also, if you construct the search phrase, it appears to not generate AI responses.
Also, if you look at the AI responses for keywords, you can usually build a
more specific search that will generate actual links below and no AI narrative and links.
It can be a chore sometimes but I usually can get to where I want to be - as opposed to AI taking me off to somewhere else I don't want to be. Overall it's a "plus" for me.
GOOGLE: can you use GOOGLE without AI?
AI Overview
Yes, it is possible to use Google Search without the AI Overviews, which are a feature that summarizes search results using AI. You can achieve this by adding a modifier to your search query or by using specific settings in your browser or the Google app.
Here are a few methods to get traditional search results without AI Overviews:
1. Using a search modifier:
Add "-AI" or "-ar" to the end of your search query: This tells Google to exclude results with AI summaries. For example, instead of searching "how to make pizza", you would search "how to make pizza -AI".
Use Incognito Mode: Incognito mode in your browser will disable AI Overviews.
Add "&udm=14" to the URL: After performing a search, you can add "&udm=14" to the end of the URL in the address bar to get traditional search results, according to the Spiceworks Community. You can bookmark this modified URL for future use.
Larry,
I believe those options only inhibit the AI summary from appearing and don't prevent the use of AI during the search. Here is the google note on this subject:
Turning off “AI Overviews and more” in Search Labs will not disable all AI Overviews in Search. AI Overviews are part of Google Search like other features, such as knowledge panels, and can’t be turned off.
Try it both ways for a given search. I get different answers I think.
there are several different ways to neuter it.. I haven't tried them all, just the "-AI"
and it seems to present some different links that with AI..
Also, if you construct the search phrase, it appears to not generate AI responses.
Also, if you look at the AI responses for keywords, you can usually build a
more specific search that will generate actual links below and no AI narrative and links.
It can be a chore sometimes but I usually can get to where I want to be - as opposed to AI taking me off to somewhere else I don't want to be. Overall it's a "plus" for me.