Google AI criticized for harming search and internet
The gist
Ex-Google safety chief Tom Siegel warned AI could harm children more than social media.
The warning lands as a German court ruled Google liable for AI Overviews' statements.
How it unfolded
- May 28, 2026LG München I (Case 26 O 869/26) ruled that AI Overviews produce independent and substantive statements, some appearing on none of the underlying pages, and that Google is liable for output it controls.
- Sep 22, 2026Tom Siegel, founder of Google's trust and safety team, called for a slowdown in AI development, warning the industry was repeating social media-era mistakes and could cause greater harm to children.
- Sep 22, 2026Siegel told Reuters children using AI daily could face risks including suicide, mental health disorders, and cognitive offloading, and said companies roll out features to children without sufficient guardrails.