Google Discontinues ‘What People Suggest’ AI Feature Over Health Advice Concerns

Google has quietly discontinued its experimental AI-powered search feature, “What People Suggest,” which displayed health advice gathered from online discussions and user experiences. The move comes just months after the feature was introduced as part of efforts to make search results more conversational and user-friendly.

The tool used artificial intelligence to summarise insights from forums, discussion boards, and social media, offering users a quick look at how others managed similar health conditions. It was primarily rolled out in the United States for mobile users and focused on medical-related queries. The aim was to complement expert-backed information with real-life experiences shared by individuals.

However, the feature has now been removed following internal review. While concerns had been raised about the potential risks of presenting health advice from non-experts, Google has stated that the decision was not linked to safety or accuracy issues. Instead, the company described it as part of a broader effort to simplify the search experience. 

Despite this explanation, the feature had drawn criticism for aggregating medical suggestions from strangers, raising questions about reliability and the potential for misinformation. The development also comes amid growing scrutiny of AI-generated health content, particularly after earlier reports highlighted misleading outputs in similar tools.

Google maintained that it will continue to provide access to reliable health information from a variety of sources, including expert-backed content and user-shared experiences. The company emphasized that such perspectives can still be useful, but need to be presented responsibly. The removal highlights the challenges tech companies face in balancing innovation with user safety, especially in sensitive areas like healthcare.