Google Lens shows misleading information about images

An investigation by fact-checking organisation Full Fact has found that the AI ​​overview in Google Lens search results has been providing false or misleading information about a number of images circulating widely on social media.

Google Lens is an image search engine developed by Google - Photo: KLMOBILE

According to Full Fact, the above cases involve videos allegedly about the war in Ukraine and Gaza, the India-Pakistan conflict, the Air India plane crash in June 2025 and immigrants coming to the UK by small boat.

Full Fact used Google Lens to search for screenshots from false videos they had fact-checked.

In at least 10 cases, the AI ​​summaries failed to recognize the fake content, even repeating the same misinformation as on social media.

In four examples, the AI ​​overview repeats verbatim false claims that Full Fact has debunked. Additionally, the AI ​​summary results can change each time it searches, even for the same image, leading to inconsistent information.

Google admits that some of these errors may occur, saying they come from image search results, not from the AI ​​overview system.

According to Google, image search results can include web sources or social media posts that contain both matching images and false information, and that affects AI summaries.

Google says it always aims to display relevant and high-quality information, continuously improves, and when problems are detected, it will be handled according to policy.

Although Google claims that AI overview rarely “fabricates” information (also known as AI “hallucination”), it still spreads misinformation about important and sensitive issues.

For example, a viral video falsely claimed asylum seekers were arriving at Dover Beach, UK, when in fact the scene was on a beach in Goa, India. Google Lens, when searching for screenshots from the video, summarized it as “people gathering at Dover Beach, UK.”

Or some fake videos about the war in Russia - Ukraine, even images from the video game Arma 3, are described as real by AI overview without warning that this is fake content.

There is a case where the same video game but two different shots are summarized by AI as a scene of the C-RAM defense system intercepting artillery shells and a scene of a SpaceX rocket launching, which is not to say that these are fake images.

Google Lens' AI synthesis gave false information when it claimed that it was an image of refugees arriving in the town of Dover, England - Photo: FULL FACT

Google Lens is an image search engine that allows users to search for photos or frames from videos to compare with similar images online.

Sometimes an AI summary will appear at the top of the page, aggregating relevant information from the web. Despite the warning that “AI can make mistakes,” having misinformation prominently displayed can easily mislead the public.

Full Fact recommends that Google Lens' AI overview tool be viewed as a starting point, not a substitute for manual fact-checking, and that additional reliable sources be sought for comparison.

This is not the first time Google search results have shown incorrect information. Full Fact says it has received funding from Google and Google.org but maintains complete editorial independence.

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ANH THU

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/google-lens-hien-thi-thong-tin-sai-lech-ve-hinh-anh-20250814110509932.htm