I watched so you don’t have to. There’s lots in here about AI, but nothing about web development or web UI beyond a sort of side example of translation for a shopping site. Oh, and there was one bit about how some programming languages used for mobile will become usable for web too because it’ll be processed/translated through their new software. That bit was cool because there are a few mobile apps folks will definitely like to be web accessible. The chat gathering was pretty fun until some downlow racist started trying to gaslight me when morning came for the U.S.Learn about the latest updates to our developer products and platforms.
I used the fact when one searches for African American authors, Tariq Nasheed (the transatlantic slave trade was a hoax and we’re all really Native Americans guy) was prominently listed in the new AI powered Google search with curated first page, and bell hooks was nowhere, as an example of the machine being unable to parse true information from false, and prioritize based on quality rather than traffic.
Then of course some dude with “Texas” twice in his handle starts messing with me about what is the truth. I told him I am not doing this with someone named after a state where being female is illegal. The moderator silenced me and kept him.
So, here we have another example of how Google does “diversity”.
I don’t know why I hoped things would get better.
So at this point I am thoroughly convinced that Google has given up on its supposed mission to be the most relevant search engine. The search is basically just Amazon product search with different aesthetics. It still has bits of what it was left in it, but it’s not going to produce anything new or innovative in that. That sector of it will coast on what has already been indexed (which updates a lot slower than it used to) and con webmasters into jumping through impossible hurdles so they can pretend this will get them more traffic when it won’t.
Google has basically just invested in the generative AI thing almost totally, and that is not my business. It can be useful for some things. Web is my business though, and for that, they can maybe help me with some code, but they are not really helping me get visitors. Seriously, if you are reading this now, and you found me in Google, leave a comment. It doesn’t have to be long just “found you in Google” or something. Three dots even.
For webmasters and developers who actually care about their discoverability, get on the Fediverse. Were it not for the Fediverse, I would be as invisible as I was a few months ago. A few developers in it are working on filtering spam out of existing search indexes and building human curated and cleaner or combo search that does what Google used to do. If you want to be on the first round of those listed, get in there and start posting now. Or let me do it for you by submitting a link to HumanShared.
