Google’s AI Overview wrongly claimed an Airbus A330 was involved in the fatal Air India crash, when it was actually a Boeing 787. The error highlights growing concerns over AI hallucinations and misinformation in high-stakes news events.
The fatal crash happened on Thursday on a plane shortly after taking off in Ahmedabad, western India, leaving for London, killing 241 passengers and crew.
Why airliner models matter
There's been heightened public awareness in recent years due to the Boeing 737 MAX crashes in 2018–2019 in Indonesia and Ethiopia.
Boeing has faced scrutiny over safety, quality control, and regulatory oversight.
Passengers and regulators alike are increasingly sensitive to aircraft models and manufacturers.
Google’s AI Overview incorrectly stated that the crash involved an Airbus A330, and in some searches, it even blended information, referencing both Airbus and Boeing
Hallucinations aren’t harmless
Non-deterministic systems like Google's AI Overviews don’t produce the same result every time.
AI may extract contextually adjacent names (like Airbus) and elevate them to false facts.
And the problem is that AI presents answers with an authoritative tone, which can make users trust them implicitly.
There are weak disclaimers at play, as Google includes a small note, saying: "AI answers may include mistakes.”
And the reputational stakes are huge for Airbus, as they may face unnecessary backlash or questions regarding this misassociation.
Glaringly, AI-generated summaries are becoming the first thing users see, and mistakes during breaking news events can spread misinformation fast.
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