Google Autocomplete

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Google's Autocomplete is an AI-powered system, or set of systems, designed to help users complete searches faster and more accurately by predicting keywords and phrases based primarily on what other people look for. It also takes into account the language of the searcher, where they are searching from, and other criteria.

Autocomplete started as an experimental feature in 2004, and was publicly released in 2008 as Google Suggest. Google Suggest was renamed Autocomplete in 2010. It is featured on Google Search and YouTube, though the two systems are thought to run separately.

Google Autocomplete is seen to offer several benefits that enhance user experience and improve search efficiency, notably making it faster to complete queries, reducing the effort needed to input long or complex queries, and making queries more accurate by reducing common spelling mistakes.

It also introduces users to new content or products they might not have considered, can help make searching more relevant and personalised, and make it easier for individuals with disabilities to interact with technology by simplifying the typing process and reducing the cognitive load associated with formulating queries.

Autocomplete

Autocomplete, or word completion, is a feature in which an application predicts the rest of a word a user is typing.

Source: Wikipedia 🔗

System 🤖

Google Autocomplete 🔗
Released: 2008
Developer: Google
Purpose: Predict search results
Type: Text prediction system
Technique: NLP/text analysis; Deep learning; Machine learning

Documents 📃

Google. How Google Autocomplete predictions work
Google. Manage Google autocomplete predictions
Google Patents. Predictive algorithm for search box auto-complete

Reviews 🗣️

Transparency and accountability 🙈

Autocomplete has been criticised for important transparency and accountability limitations:

Algorithmic decision-making. Google provides limited information on how Autocomplete works.
Legal accountability. Google regularly claims that it is not legally responsible for harms caused by Autocomplete.

Risks and harms 🛑

Google acknowledges Autocomplete predictions “aren’t perfect” and can be “unexpected or shocking”.

These include inaccurate, untrue, inappropriate, offensive and biased search predictions that variously result in the manipulation of end users, religious and other forms of discrimination, psychological and emotional distress and anxiety, loss of privacy, and defamation, amongst other things.

Incidents and issues 🔥

Google Autocomplete is reported to have driven, or been involved in, the following negative events:

July 2024. Google Autocomplete omits news of Trump assassination attempt
March 2022. Google search links Natalia Denegri to 'Coppola case'
September 2019. Google Autocomplete conflates Bettina Wulff with 'prostitute'
March 2019. Google Autocomplete falsely associates Japanese man with crimes
May 2018. Google Autocomplete, Related Search reveal rape victims' names
November 2017. YouTube Autocomplete suggests paedophiliac phrases
November 2017. Google Autocomplete amplifies Texas massacre Antifa conspiracy
December 2016. Google Autocomplete suggests Jews, women are 'evil'
December 2016. Google search prioritises Holocaust denial website
June 2015. Google Autocomplete links Australian health researcher to false blackmail accusations
August 2014. Google Autocomplete connects Albert Yeung with triads
May 2013. Google Autocomplete unfairly links German businessman to Scientology
December 2012. Google Autocomplete suggests Australian surgeon is 'bankrupt'
November 2012. Google Search, Autocomplete link Australian music promoter to criminal underworld
May 2012. Google Autocomplete says Rupert Murdoch, Jon Hamm are 'Jewish'
April 2011. Google Autocomplete associates Italian businessman with 'fraud'
September 2010. Google Autocomplete links French sex offender to rape