Forget AI. Google just created a version of its search engine free of all the extra junk it has added over the past decade-plus. All you have to do is add “udm=14” to the search URL.
While Google made its AI-focused changes known on its biggest stage—during its Google I/O event—the Web filter was curiously announced on Twitter by Search Liaison Danny Sullivan.
As Sullivan wrote:
- We’ve added this after hearing from some that there are times when they’d prefer to just see links to web pages in their search results, such as if they’re looking for longer-form text documents, using a device with limited internet access, or those who just prefer text-based results shown separately from search features. If you’re in that group, enjoy!*
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https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/05/google-searchs-udm14-trick-lets-you-kill-ai-search-for-good/
https://venturebeat.com/ai/how-to-use-google-search-without-ai-the-udm14-work-around/
It’s almost like they know their product is shit
They know, and they know it’s deadly long term, but the money from pushing ads to users like they’re making foie gras is just too good. That’s what MBAs in charge gets you.
Yeah, I’m convinced they know. We know it, they know it, and I’m pretty sure at this point they know that we know it. So, like, what, we’re all just gonna hold hands into the apocalypse? Sorry, I’m not trying to come off as being shitty at you. Like a lot of people I’m just very frustrated with the way things are in a wide selection of sections of society and I just can’t help but think of Kitty Genovese in times like this
More likely departments or the entire company, if valuation drops too low, is sold to a private equity firm. Profits from the sale get showered over the shareholders. The private equity firm is going to drastically restructure Google and if that doesn’t work give it a few more squeezes to get the profit out and sell the tech for parts. That’s the standard play book.
That requires the valuation to drop. A ton of people just go with what they know and are only fuelling it, creatures of habit and convenience and whatnot.
That’s true up to a certain level. Then a moment comes where the pain of using it becomes bigger than the convenience and there is an exodus. Some call that the trust thermocline . Or as some say how they went bankrupt as first gradually, then suddenly.
There’s at least one public story from an ex-googler who worked on search having a big QoL feature update killed at the absolute last moment before it went live by someone in marketing/ads because it decreased click through rate for the “sponsored” results at the top of the search page.
Google Search had ONE JOB and that is to show web links.
There’s at least one public story from an ex-googler who worked on search having a big QoL feature update killed at the absolute last moment before it went live by someone in marketing/ads because it decreased click through rate for the “sponsored” results at the top of the search page.