Google fixes AI Overviews bug showing wrong year as 2024
▼ Summary
– Google’s AI Overviews incorrectly stated the current year was 2024 when asked in May 2025, sparking user reports and jokes on social media.
– Google fixed the bug late on Thursday but did not provide a specific reason for the error, only mentioning ongoing updates to prevent such issues.
– AI Overviews has made previous notable blunders, like recommending eating rocks for vitamins and adding glue to pizza cheese.
– Google CEO Sundar Pichai reported AI Overviews is used by 1.5 billion users in over 100 countries, driving over 10% of search queries in markets like the U.S. and India.
– Google is heavily investing in AI-powered search features despite occasional inaccuracies, aiming to increase user adoption.
Google’s AI Overviews recently displayed an incorrect year, telling users it was 2024 instead of 2025 before the company quickly addressed the issue. The glitch sparked amusement online as screenshots circulated showing the AI confidently asserting the wrong date, with some users joking about time travel.
Multiple reports surfaced this week when people asked Google simple questions like “What year is it?” only to receive the inaccurate response. Social media lit up with reactions, including playful speculation about whether Google had secretly invented time-travel technology. TechCrunch verified the error firsthand before Google resolved it late Thursday.
When pressed for an explanation, the company didn’t specify the root cause but confirmed it was implementing updates to prevent similar mistakes. “We continuously refine our systems using feedback like this,” a Google spokesperson stated. “While most AI Overviews deliver accurate information, we’re actively improving to minimize these rare errors.”
This isn’t the first hiccup for Google’s AI-powered search feature. Past blunders have included bizarre suggestions, such as claiming rocks provide essential nutrients or advising users to use glue to keep cheese on pizza. Earlier testing in Hindi also revealed inconsistencies in responses.
Despite these stumbles, Google remains committed to expanding AI Overviews. CEO Sundar Pichai recently highlighted its rapid adoption, with 1.5 billion users across 100+ countries now engaging with the tool. In key markets like the U.S. and India, it reportedly influences more than 10% of search queries. The company sees AI integration as critical to maintaining its dominance in search, even as it works through occasional growing pains.
(Source: TechCrunch)
