WENTZVILLE, Mo. — Some businesses find artificial intelligence can be a helpful tool, but a restaurant in Missouri wants to add a caveat.
The restaurant owners say AI designed to enhance Google search results has been causing some customer issues by making up deals.
In any good restaurant, good old-fashioned customer service is an important ingredient, part of the special sauce for Eva Gannon and her family at Stefanina’s in Wentzville.
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“It’s been in my family for 25 years now,” she said.
That’s why they’ve been concerned with a series of calls and comments from customers looking for deals that Google’s AI overview serves up for their restaurant, offers that simply don’t exist.
“We’re like, ‘What are you talking about?’” Gannon said.
“You buy a pizza, you get the second pizza for $4. We’ve never offered that special. It also tells you that we offer a large for the price of a small pizza. That’s not true,” she said.
She says it’s led to calls and confusion with customers, so much that they posted on Facebook asking patrons not to rely on AI.
“It’s coming back on us,” Gannon said. “We can’t as a small family business honor a Google AI special.”
Artificial intelligence is still evolving, and even Google admits it can make mistakes. That’s why tech experts see it as a useful tool but one that still requires a human component.
“There’s a big difference between using AI and working with AI,” said Jonathan Hanahan, a Washington University Professor: who works with artificial intelligence.
He says the intent behind a prompt can sometimes skew information.
“It will sometimes take liberties to get you to the result that you’re looking for,” Hanahan said.
Google didn’t respond to requests for comment, but a company guide cautions that AI can sometimes misunderstand things or even make them up, meaning you still have to fact-check.
“How are you asking prompts, how are you asking questions. The collective conversation and not just this binary call and response expectation,” Hanahan said.
As for Stefanina’s, “Just come to us for any information regarding us. And really when it comes to any other company.” Gannon said.
They’re happy to answer questions the old fashioned way.
Stefanina’s ended its Aug. 12th Facebook post saying it can’t control what Google posts and will not honor Google AI specials.
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