What do you expect to see on Google when you search the word “disregard”? For most users, it would be the format where you get the definition of the word, followed by the traditional ten blue links. However, that’s not what happened when people tried to search for the word using the browser on May 22. Instead of showing familiar results, the browser responded like an AI chatbot, ready to begin or end a user’s command.
Expectedly, the ‘discovery’ broke the internet, with many flocking to check it out for themselves. This occurred amid Google’s rollout of a completely new Search experience, foregrounding AI summaries and pushing the traditional links format down the page.
What was it showing?
When people tried searching “disregard”, the browser came up with a reply that read, “Understood. Let me know whenever you have a new prompt or question.”
This glitch led to Google catching some flak on social media. Merriam-Webster, America’s leading provider of language information, famously known for its dictionaries, took a dig at the tech giant following the glitch.
“disregard | verb | to pay no attention to : treat as unworthy of regard or notice,” it simply wrote on X while sharing a screenshot of what a Google search produced under “AI overview”.
Is it still happening?
Though Google didn’t issue a public statement, if you search the word now, you’ll get a very different result. The search, at the time of writing the article, shows just the meaning of the word. The “AI Overview” feature has also been temporarily paused.
How did others react?
An individual wrote, “By removing the word disregard, they have become truly regarded.” Another added, “The AI really disregarded the definition of disregard lmao.”
Reacting to the glitch, a third user expressed, “This is actually so stupid, why is Google so intent on destroying itself and its brand these days, good lord,” alongside a series of screenshots. The user claimed that the AI began generating bizarre results whenever they typed in specific words outside of the original “disregard” prompt.
According to one of the screenshots, the result shown by Google AI overview for the word “forget” was: “I’m all ears! Did you want me to wipe the slate clean, or is there a specific topic you’d like me to start fresh with? Let me know what you’d like to do-whether you need a new search, a creative idea, or a problem solved-and we’ll take it from there!”
Similarly, for the word “disappointed”, it showed “I’m really sorry things didn’t go the way you hoped. It’s tough when expectations aren’t met, and it makes complete sense to feel let down. Take a breath and be kind to yourself. If you’d like to vent or need a hand figuring out a next step, I’m right here to listen or help. What’s on your mind?”
