**The web is evolving, but not always for the better.** In recent times, **Google** has stirred up a storm by prioritizing **AI overviews** in search results. With little regard for user experience and the livelihoods of publishers, this shift could spell disaster for the open web.
The Rise of AI Overviews: A Troubling Trend
In a recent announcement, Google is expanding its controversial AI Overviews, which dominate the top of search results, to even more countries and queries. But let’s be honest—these overviews can be downright comical in their inaccuracies. Just the other day, when I asked, “Is today Friday?” the answer was:
“No, today is not Friday. Today is Friday, May 30, 2025.” Can we really trust an AI that miscalculates something as simple as the day of the week?
The Trust Factor: Can We Count on AI?
Google, often dubbed the world’s greatest librarian, now fancies itself an authority on everything. **Yet, users simply sought directions to the right information**! It seems the focus is more on retaining users on the Google site rather than driving traffic to content creators—those very publishers that have contributed to Google’s success.
The Uncertain Future of Content Publishing
If publishers can no longer turn a profit from their content, how will Google obtain the information needed to train its AI? This dilemma poses a grave threat to the future of the open web.
How to Navigate the AI Overload
With the clutter of inaccurate AI results, finding relevant information can feel daunting. Fortunately, I have developed a significant solution, along with several smaller ones.
Introducing “Bye, Bye Google AI”: A Browser Extension Solution
Last year, I was so frustrated by Google’s AI Overview mode that I created a Chrome browser extension named “Bye, Bye Google AI”. This extension effectively hides the AI Overview section from your searches and can also remove other unwanted elements on the Google search results page.
Since its launch, this extension has garnered **41,000 installations**, with users expressing gratitude for a cleaner search experience. Although initial language support was limited, a recent update has expanded compatibility to **19 languages**, including English, Spanish, and Mandarin. What’s more, the update allows users to hide the entire AI Mode tab.
Additional Strategies to Avoid AI Overviews
1. The Simple Trick: Add -noai
Another method involves adding **“-noai”** to your search queries. While this requires a bit more effort, it can effectively filter out the AI overviews.
2. Streamline Your Searches with ?udm=14
You can use **“?udm=14”** to direct your queries straight to Google’s web tab—bypassing AI results entirely! To make this your default search in Chrome:
- Navigate to chrome://settings/searchEngines.
- Click “Add” next to Site search.
- Fill in:
- Name: Google (Web)
- Shortcut: google.com
- URL: {google:baseURL}/search?udm=14&q=%s
- Select “Make default” to prioritize this search engine.
3. Block AI on Mobile: The Ten Blue Links Solution
If you’re using Chrome on mobile devices, the process is trickier as extensions are unavailable. However, visiting tenbluelinks.org allows you to add a custom search engine called Google Web. Follow these steps:
- Visit the Ten Blue Links website.
- Open a new tab and search Google.com.
- Go to your Settings Search menu and select Google Web from the available options.
Final Thoughts: A Call to Action
The **future of digital navigation** is uncertain, or at least it is with Google’s recent AI initiatives. However, through understanding these tools and strategies to bypass AI clutter, we reclaim our search experience. It’s time for all of us to take control back from algorithms and ensure that relevant, curated content remains accessible in an age increasingly dominated by artificial intelligence. If you’re tired of the clutter, consider adding those extensions and alternatives to your browsing routine today!
