Tired of Google’s AI-powered search overviews leading you to questionable information? There’s a surprisingly simple workaround: just add an expletive to your search query.
A recent discovery reveals that including a curse word in your Google search effectively disables the AI-generated summaries that often appear at the top of the results page. For example, a search for “How large is the student body of Yale University?” will typically display a prominent AI overview. However, adding an expletive, like searching “How large is the fucking student body at Yale University?”, bypasses the AI summary and presents a standard list of blue links.
This isn’t the first method for disabling Google’s AI summaries. Previous techniques involved manipulating the search URL, a more complex process. This new method, however, offers a more straightforward, albeit less polite, solution.
Why Disable AI Summaries?
The very existence of these workarounds suggests a user preference for traditional search results. While Google’s search results have always had their imperfections, AI summaries present a new challenge. These prominent blurbs at the top of the search page can appear authoritative, potentially amplifying misinformation rather than clarifying it.
This echoes the issues seen with Siri’s integration with ChatGPT. Previously, Siri would direct users to the web when unable to answer a question. Now, it generates responses via ChatGPT, sometimes providing inaccurate information instead of admitting its limitations. This trend of forced AI integration is evident across various platforms, from Google Docs to X and Instagram, often at the expense of basic keyword searches.
How Does it Work?
Screenshot 2025 01 31 At 2.52.11 pm
This workaround likely stems from Google’s cautious approach to its AI model, Gemini. Unlike bots like xAI’s Grok, which readily engages with sensitive topics and profanity, Gemini maintains a more conservative approach. It’s probable that Gemini is trained to avoid repeating expletives, and therefore, the AI summary feature is disabled entirely when a curse word is present in the search query.
The Impact on Search
Google maintains that AI Overviews don’t negatively impact website traffic, arguing that users who find summaries interesting will click through to the source material. However, this hasn’t appeased media companies, who continue to challenge platforms like OpenAI and Perplexity for using their content in large language models.
While Google will likely address this loophole eventually, for now, it offers a simple way to avoid AI-generated summaries. Just remember to add that expletive to your search.
A Temporary Solution
This “expletive loophole” provides a temporary reprieve for those seeking traditional search results. While effective for now, it highlights the ongoing debate surrounding AI integration in search and the importance of user choice.
