For example Google “how to jump start a car”. Right at the top there’s a section titled AI Overview. I’ve been noticing this change for a couple of months. The AI responses at first weren’t very good, but I’m now noticing a definite improvement. What do you think? Will Google’s AI eventually replace internet Car Repair forums?
Everyone with half a brain and uses Google has seen the AI stuff also, no need to post about it… This is what some/a lot of members are complaining about, you just posting stuff for either attention or post count…
2 Likes
I have tried asking AI 4 times for short explanations of automotive concepts. It was wrong 4 times.
As for forums haven’t you noticed that posters don’t even know HOW to ask a question or describe symptoms? Getting a good answer takes some knowledge of how to ASK a question. Until AI learns to ask good questions, it cannot solve this.
1 Like
Yes, I’ve noticed that in quite a few cases. Often I wonder why they even bother to post? I’m guessing they are hopinf somebody here owning the exact same car, make/model/year, has had the exact problem and knows what to do, so no need for details. I’m not against having hope, but this sort of hope isn’t likely to help.
Do you mean until AI learns how to interpret poorly worded questions?
One trait of AI is it seems to learn, and get better over time. So it’s helpfulness now may not predict its future importance.
I wonder also where the AI software is getting its info from? What is causing the answer to seem to be getting better?
Let me add a big Saturday who cares?
I learned that you can blur your house on google maps which seems more important. Then next time that lawn service sends me an ad for my house it’ll just be a blur instead.
It actually goes beyond that problem when it comes to AI-automated “chats”. Since actually speaking with a person at UPS Customer Service is now close to impossible, I have resorted on a few occasions to using their automated chat. Nothing that I typed (either statements or questions) ever got a response that was helpful. If you persist, you can eventually speak with a person, but they make it very difficult to do so.
Based on my experiences with that type of AI, I’m not surprised that it isn’t helpful with automotive matters.
1 Like
No, I mean exactly what I said. See below…
Q: My car won’t start?
AI: Does it rrr-rrr when you turn the key? Or click-click? Or nothing? (AI doesn’t DO this)
Q: It goes rrr-rrr
AI: Is there gas in the car? Was the CEL on before this? and on and on and on…
AI currently blathers on with some sort of list of explanations for the “won’t start” that the poster cannot understand in any meaningful way that will not lead to a solution. AI does not know how to interview. The current versions simply scour the internet looking for some match of question to answer. One poster here got criticized for suggesting the OP Google the question. Well, that is exactly what AI is doing.
Garbage in, garbage out! 
1 Like
I guess it depends what you expect to receive when you use Google. My expectation when Googling for information is to receive a summary from Google’s AI processor , or a list of links Google’s algorithm thinks are relevant. I wouldn’t expect to be interviewed by Google or Google’s AI processor if I simply Googled for information.
I’m still curious where Google’s AI obtains its information. I’m wondering if it is buying up car repair and maintenance databases? Or paying for the rights to quote from repair manuals, etc? hmmmm … This forum’s search database might well turn a pretty penny for Car Talk.
Asked and already answered.
Not a chance even for free.
1 Like
I googled “how to jump start a car” again. In the AI section of the response , I notice there’s a list of links to the right of the answer. They mostly appear to be a vehicle company or organization’s links, Mercedes, Van True, Insurance company, AAA, Midtronics, etc . I presume those links are the source for the summary info. I also notice there’s a like/don’t like button you can press to inform the AI whether you thought the answer was helpful or not. Presumably that is how it improves itself, as it seems to be improving over the past few months.
I used chat with the IRS and got a live person. She even gave me her badge number.