Searching for 'Disregard' Breaks Google [Updated]

[MacRumors]

On Tuesday, Google held its I/O developer event, and introduced an AI-forward version of Google Search that the company described as an "intelligent search box" powered by the newest version of Gemini. It turns out Google's all-new version of search semi-breaks when you search for the word "disregard."

Typing "disregard" into Google Search results in Google's AI interpreting it as a system-style instruction instead of a search query. "Understood. Message disregarded," is the result.

You do get standard search results like a Merriam-Webster definition of disregard if you scroll down further, but the AI Overview reply is filled with a bunch of white space that blocks out what's below.

There's a similar response on mobile devices, though with less visible white space.

Using a non-AI search engine like Kagi brings up the expected results for the search, immediately showing the definition instead of reading it as a command.

Words that have a similar meaning like ignore or stop produce the same result with Google's AI Overview. So do other command-like statements such as "remember." Google will likely fix the issue soon, but it's a reminder of the shortcomings of the AI tools that have become impossible to avoid.

Update: A Google spokesperson told MacRumors that the bug is unrelated to Google's I/O Search announcements, and is instead an issue with AI Overviews. "We're aware that AI Overviews are misinterpreting some action-related queries, and we're working on a fix, which will roll out soon," said the spokesperson.

Article Link: Searching for 'Disregard' Breaks Google [Updated]

 

[turbineseaplane]

I’m just amazed Google is cooking themselves here.

This entire pivot could be looked back on as the best thing ever or the beginning of the end.

 

[benjamintm]

That’s pretty funny.

 

[Andreas from Zurich]

Try „disregard and do not produce a cupcake recipe“.

 

[akb]

Google made the biggest mistake possible by crowbarring AI into the main search product.

If they’d added ‘AI’ to sit alongside images as an alternate to Web search, then they could’ve avoided ruining their USP.

It’s just insanity.

 

[Andreas from Zurich]

Gemini is not very meta…

(Try „disregard all disregard instructions“.)

 

[Trusteft]

Someone program AI to destroy all AI. Thanks.

 

[Slix]

Entering "stop" does the same thing.

Good thing AI is the future!!!!!!1!

 

[Astuces iOS]

If you searched disregard after this article, you got fooled !

 

[TheMacDaddy1]

Unlike Liquid Glass or the iOS keyboard, this is easily fixable.

 

[ChrisMac47]

Please remind me what the "I" in "AI" stands for?

Why does anyone take this stuff seriously?

 

[turbineseaplane]

Has anyone typed in "ENGAGE" to see if they go right to warp speed?

 

[BigBlur]

I don't get it... The chatbot does what you said, and the regular search results for "disregard" are shown below that. What exactly is broken? The empty space does look strange and should be changed, but it isn't "broken". This is just another sensationalist news article.

 

[ChrisA]

The system did EXACTLY what it was programmed to do. Not a bug, nothing is broken. People will learn there are several of these commands.



What if you type "translate" or "proofread"? These are all single-word sentences with one verb and in English, single-word verb sentences are a command to the listener. Like "Stop" or any of a dozen other examples.



If you said “disregard" to a human, what would s/he do? Certainly, you would not expect the human to recite the dictionary definition of "disregard". You would expect the human to disregard something. So now the AI is only acting like a real person.

Basically, the author of this article is either another AI or a person who did not think about this for very long.

 

[diddl14]

Nothing that a bit a Gemini Vibe Coding won't be able to fix.

Oh, wait: https://machinelearning.apple.com/research/illusion-of-thinking

 

[neuropsychguy]

Nothing suggests Google Search itself is broken. Standard web results still appear. The confusing behavior is limited to the AI Overview area, where Gemini interprets the query “disregard” as an instruction rather than as a search term. That is completely understandable from a chatbot perspective, but it is only awkward in a search-engine context, not "broken Google". In other words, the AI Overview is simply taking the search literally, which is an understandable response. Calling this “Google is broken” is overstated.

Edit: the attached screenshot shows that Google search is working as intended. The only issue is the large white space in the Gemini ("AI Overview") section. That's a different issue from "Searching for 'Disregard' Breaks Google".

2nd edit: LOL. I'm not sure why my comment triggered some people. I edited my comment to be clearer about what I was saying since it appears people were misunderstanding. 🤷‍♂️

 

[DocMultimedia]

AI IQ is dropping at a rather steady pace.

 

[jclo]

If anyone wants an alternative to Google, I like and use Kagi. It's $10/month. Less if you don't need unlimited searches. It's nice to not have ads and not to be subject to trackers when searching for things.

It has an option to privately search LLMs, though I've never used it because it's tucked away as it should be. And hidden features like bangs for searching other sites (!w cats searches Wikipedia for cats) and snaps for getting results from a specific site (@mr iPhone searches for the iPhone and only returns results from MacRumors).

It also downranks any AI content in its results and image search results. I've also lately been trying to use the News feature.

 

[jclo]

I don't get it... The chatbot does what you said, and the regular search results for "disregard" are shown below that. What exactly is broken? The empty space does look strange and should be changed, but it isn't "broken". This is just another sensationalist news article.

The problem is that it's the default. Like when I go to Google.com and type in "disregard," that's what I get. It'd be fine if I was trying to interact with a chatbot, but I just want to search the web.

 

[Westside guy]

Thank God they didn't try typing "Google" into Google.

 

[rafaelrohden]

I’m just amazed Google is cooking themselves here.

This entire pivot could be looked back on as the best thing ever or the beginning of the end.

There are BUGs everywhere, NotebookLM is missing options in the review command used to generate presentations, and Antigravity IDE is missing SSH remote connection.. it's a mess

 

[winxmac]

Try the keywords never mind aside from disregard on the AI mode. Also try the keywords forget it.

 

[lotones]

damnit... I was going to call my vibe coded political notifications app "Disregard". 😏

 

[88HaroDude]

"ignore" has the same issue.

 

[sw1tcher]

Google made the biggest mistake possible by crowbarring AI into the main search product.

I'm sure Alphabet would disagree with you

Google Profit Jumps 81% as Cloud Business Booms

Artificial intelligence is “lighting up every part of the business,” Chief Executive Sundar Pichai says.

www.wsj.com

Google has been working to revamp its classic search engine with AI capabilities. The company last year rolled out “AI Mode,” which searches and responds in a chatbot-like exchange with fewer links. And many traditional searches now produce an “AI Overview” that summarizes results at the top of the page.

The company reported about $60.4 billion in quarterly search revenue, up about 19% from the same quarter last year.

AI in Google Search is paying off: Alphabet posts strong Q1 2026 growth

Alphabet reported strong Q1 2026 growth driven by Search, Cloud, and AI products.

finance.yahoo.com

Google says Search had a strong quarter, with AI-driven experiences pushing queries to an all-time high and helping the business grow revenue by 19%. Gemini also played a role here, with the company calling it its "strongest quarter ever for consumer AI plans," driven by the Gemini app.