Google Search is now using AI to replace headlines
11–17 of 17 posts
Re: Google Search is now using AI to replace headlines
#12Earlier quoted context omitted.
I hate clickbait headlines but I disagree. Let a site succeed or fail based on their choices. If they want to use clickbait headlines they won’t get my clicks. Rewriting headlines feels like a fundamental break in the contract of a search engine.
I mean HN modifies headlines all the time. Sometimes hours after the fact. News sites themselves A/B test headlines constantly. I don't really think there is any "contract" to speak of.
There is a massive difference between a specific website changing things (even an aggregator), and a search engine.
Re: Google Search is now using AI to replace headlines
#13This has been going on for at least three years, although perhaps they left more popular sites like The Verge alone. My wife's business rebranded three years ago and they kept the old brand as part of the title, presumably because there were lots of links pointing to it with the old title.
Re: Google Search is now using AI to replace headlines
#14Earlier quoted context omitted.
I hate clickbait headlines but I disagree. Let a site succeed or fail based on their choices. If they want to use clickbait headlines they won’t get my clicks. Rewriting headlines feels like a fundamental break in the contract of a search engine.
I mean HN modifies headlines all the time. Sometimes hours after the fact. News sites themselves A/B test headlines constantly. I don't really think there is any "contract" to speak of.
And that sucks. I don't want the paternalistic thought policing.
Re: Google Search is now using AI to replace headlines
#15“I figured that I could always fall back to those blue links to get a relatively unadulterated experience. Now, I have to wonder.” When the last neutral layer goes, what's left is the people you chose to follow. I've been sitting with that thought while building https://murmel.social
Cool. Anything different from https://sill.social?
Re: Google Search is now using AI to replace headlines
#16Whole google is AI now
Re: Google Search is now using AI to replace headlines
#17“I figured that I could always fall back to those blue links to get a relatively unadulterated experience. Now, I have to wonder.” When the last neutral layer goes, what's left is the people you chose to follow. I've been sitting with that thought while building https://murmel.social
Cool. Anything different from https://sill.social ?
I think this post sums it up pretty well: https://preslav.me/2026/03/25/murmel-competition-identity-tr...