Google, Microsoft, Perplexity AI Search Results Promote Debunked Racist Research

AI-enhanced search engines from Google, Microsoft, and Perplexity have been surfacing debunked and racist research claiming genetic superiority of white people over other racial groups, according to Wired. 

This trend, revealed through investigative work by Hope Not Hate, a UK-based anti-racism organization, has added to concerns about racial bias and radicalization in AI-powered search.

AI Search Results Show Discredited Research

Patrik Hermansson, a researcher with anti-racism group Hope Not Hate, was investigating the resurgence of scientific racism when he found that AI-driven search engines often promote discredited “race science.” 

When searching the average IQ scores in different nations, the Google’s AI-driven “Overviews” feature displayed figures derived from the work of Richard Lynn.

Lynn’s IQ research relies on dubious samples and questionable methodologies and has been used by white supremacists to support racial hierarchies.

A Wired investigation confirmed Hermansson’s findings and found that Microsoft’s Copilot—integrated into Bing— and Perplexity also referenced Lynn’s work when queried about IQ scores in various countries.

Promoting Racist Ideologies

Spokespeople from Google and Microsoft told Wired that the absence of high quality information on the web can be problematic for very specific search queries, such as national IQ.

They also noted that the AI search overviews come with linked citations so users can further explopre the findings as they would do for traditional searches.

However, Rebecca Sear, director of the Center for Culture and Evolution at Brunel University London, told Wired that the issue is bigger than just disinformation.

Read: This Tech Mogul Secretly Funded A Discredited Race Science Group

The promotion of discredited race science fuels the agenda of scientific racism andand risks radicalizing users.

Geneticist Adam Rutherford, author of How to Argue With a Racist, added that the problem isn’t solely with AI systems but also with a scientific community that has long cited Lynn’s work uncritically.

The Growing Impact of AI Bias on Society

Experts warn that AI-driven search tools like Google’s Gemini, Microsoft’s Copilot, and Perplexity AI strongly influence which information is seen as credible and influence public perceptions.

Following the launch of its AI Overview tool in 2023, Google acknowledged policy violations in certain responses and removed them, yet Hermansson’s and Wired’s findings show that it is still endorsing harmful content.

For AI search tools to avoid spreading harmful biases, experts emphasize the need for greater transparency and stricter quality controls.