Mama Google might still know all, but it's hard to tell.

For the past several years, one of my favorite sayings has been, "Mama Google knows all." Never before was there a time in history when we could reach into a pocket or purse and consult a device that can answer any random question in a matter of seconds.

Assuming we have a signal.

And assuming the answer isn't behind a paywall.

And assuming the search results aren't junked up with ads.

And assuming the US Department of Justice's order that Alphabet sell off its Chrome browser sticks (which I am pessimistic about, for reasons I'll explain below).

Things are changing rapidly enough on the internet-search-engine front that the Wall Street Journal* ran an op-ed a couple of weeks ago suggesting that someday soon, saying "Google it" may be an age test: 

People are increasingly getting answers from artificial intelligence. Younger generations are using other platforms to gather information. And the quality of the results delivered by [Google's] search engine is deteriorating as the web is flooded with AI-generated content.

The WSJ article goes on to say that a lot of shoppers are bypassing Google's results to start their searches on Amazon. But I am here to tell you that that comes with its own set of problems. Amazon's results, too, are junked up with ads and banners like "Amazon's Choice" (which, when you read the fine print, actually means "Amazon's Choice for searches about a specific thing that wasn't in your query and you may not care about"). I've found that in many cases, Amazon's search parameters aren't granular enough. Or if they don't carry the exact product I'm looking for, they'll give me seven pages of things that might fit the bill, but probably don't. At least a Google search still provides a range of retailers that claim to carry the product I'm actually looking for, regardless of whether it's in stock.

That's for shopping. If you're looking for information, though? Maybe start with Wikipedia.

AI search responses are no help -- or not as helpful as they could be. At Thanskgiving, I went looking for information on converting a regular recipe for Brussels sprouts to one for a convection oven, so I could make them with my microwave's convection-oven feature while the turkey was roasting in the regular oven. Naturally, I asked Mama Google. Her AI feature said they would take 20 minutes at 375 degrees. What a time saver, right? Yeah, well, it was a good thing I punched through to an actual recipe. What the AI should have said was that the sprouts needed 20 minutes on the first side, then another 15-20 minutes on the flip side. And it took forever to find that information, because the vast majority of recipes Google offered me didn't have directions for convection cooking, even after I put "convection oven" in quotes.

And all that's on top of the valid complaints from human content creators that AI purveyors are scraping their content to "train" their AI engines without their consent -- and without compensation.

While the DoJ's move to force Google to sell off its Chrome browser is a good idea, I don't think it will solve the problem for end users. If it proceeds anything like the antitrust case against Microsoft, which started with a US Federal Trade Commission inquiry in 1990 and resulted in court approval of the legal settlement in 2004, it will drag on for years and not change much of anything. 

And I expect the antitrust actions against Big Tech will wither under the new administration anyway. I'm sure that's a big reason why tech companies are giving massive donations to Trump's inauguration fund, even though they may also be afraid of retaliation for kicking Trump off their social media platforms after January 6th.

In all, I think the halcyon days of having the answer to life, the Universe, and everything in our pockets are probably just about over. Maybe Google should bring back its "I'm feeling lucky" button.

And I guess I should look for a hard-copy convection-oven-conversion cookbook before AI gets hold of them and screws them all up.

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* Speaking of paywalls: I apologize. I thought that Yahoo! link to the WSJ story could get y'all around the WSJ paywall, but no -- it's a stub article that redirects to the WSJ website. Sorry about that.

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These moments of searchable blogginess have been brought to you, as a public service, by Lynne Cantwell. Stay safe!

All praise to the Google!

http://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswine/2009/10/21

My desktop computer is in the shop, so I'm writing this post on my netbook computer with the teeny-tiny 10-inch screen.  At least I was able to plug my desktop's keyboard and mouse into the netbook, so it's not as alien a setup as it might be otherwise.  But still, I'm getting a crick in my neck from the unaccustomed screen position. And I can't watch videos on this underpowered machine.  Not that I watch a lot of videos anyway, but it's the idea that I can't that's bothering me.

Why am I whining about all of this?  (Kudos to you if you've stuck around thus far.  Your whining threshold must be pretty high!)  It's because this inconvenience has reminded me again of how much teh intarwebz have invaded my life.

I have a desktop computer at work; at home, I have my own desktop computer, as well as a netbook, a Nook Tablet, and an iPhone.  An information search about any question, no matter how low-priority the answer, is at my fingertips for 98 percent of my waking hours (it would be 100 percent, but sometimes I can't get a signal on my phone) and even for a portion of my sleeping hours.  (I've been awakened more than once by a chime from my phone, telling me somebody just mentioned me on Twitter.)

Before we went to Europe, though, my friend Kim and I checked into the cost of an international data roaming plan, and quickly concluded it would be more fiscally responsible just to turn data reception off for the duration of the trip.  It was a good idea in theory -- but in practice, oh, was it painful.  At least once a day, one of us would come up with some question in the course of conversation that the other couldn't answer.  The "I don't know" response was always accompanied by a disgusted, "But if we had data, we could look it up!"

Mark my words:  Someday the pre-intarwebz days will be known as the New Dark Ages.  It was a time when we lived in ignorance and fear.  A time when a search for answers involved delving into actual books made of actual paper (the horror!) and perusing digests, indices, tables of contents, and other arcane documents, in hopes one of them would point you to a book that actually contained the information you sought.  A time when librarians held vast power.  A time when we posed questions, such as, "Who won the Oscar for best cinematography in 1963?" and almost invariably got this response: "Huh.  I dunno."

You kids don't know how good you have it.  All praise to the Google!

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Now that that's out of my system, I have some actual news.

1.  This Wednesday night at 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, I'll be doing a podcast for BookGoodies on winning at NaNoWriMo.  You do know about NaNoWriMo, don't you?  If you've ever said to yourself, "I oughta write a book," you really should consider participating.  Anyway, I don't have particulars yet about when the podcast will be available. (It's probably on my other computer....)  I'll post the info to my Facebook page when I find out.
2.  As of this past week, I am now a weekly contributor to Indies Unlimited.  The Evil Mastermind has promised me a gruel upgrade as compensation for my extra duties. I'll let you know how it goes.
3.  The program for World Fantasy Convention 2012 is out, and I'm in it!  I'll be doing a reading on Friday morning, Nov. 2.  I also plan to participate in the mass autographing session that night.  If by some happenstance, you'll be in Toronto for the convention, please look for me.
4.  Oh, and by the way, the first draft of Tapped: Book Three of the Pipe Woman Chronicles is complete.  We're moving up the publication schedule to take advantage of the Christmas shopping season, so look for the book at your favorite online retailer starting in early December.

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I'm Lynne Cantwell, and I approve this blog post.