These companies have controversial pasts. Google AI didn't tell us

Google's AI overviews are facing scrutiny for generating summaries that critics say are misleadingly positive, particularly when profiling companies with controversial pasts. A prime example involves Philip Morris International (PMI), a tobacco giant long accused of aggressive marketing of addictive, cancer-causing cigarettes and contributing to smoking-related deaths.

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essentially a regurgitation of Philip Morris International's PR materials

When a colleague researched PMI, Google's AI overview presented a summary that heavily cited the company's own materials. The AI described PMI as a "leading international tobacco company working to transition from cigarettes to smoke-free products," focusing on its "future without cigarettes" and sustainability efforts. This portrayal, according to experts, omits critical context about the company's history.

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make it seem like their bad behaviours are in the past

University of Sydney public health professor Becky Freeman expressed shock, viewing the AI overview as "essentially a regurgitation of Philip Morris International's PR materials." Freeman, whose research focuses on the tobacco industry's marketing tactics, argues that such summaries parrot strategies used by companies to downplay past harmful behaviors while continuing to profit from products like cigarettes. She considers the overviews "incredibly misleading" for failing to mention negative press or the broader context of tobacco-related harms.

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I consider this to be incredibly misleading

Experts point out that Google's AI summaries often fail to include crucial information. For instance, the AI overview for Philip Morris did not mention the company's historical deception regarding the addictive nature of smoking. This is particularly concerning given that PMI's former parent company and US associate were found by a U.S. court to have misled the public for decades, despite internal knowledge dating back to the 1980s about the health risks.

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It gives the impression this is just an everyday, run-of-the-mill company that is doing its best to run sustainably, and that engages in regular business practices. It never even mentioned how Philip Morris lied about the fact that smoking was addictive.