Search engines have long been the cornerstone of online navigation, serving as the go-to tool for individuals seeking information on virtually any topic imaginable. Search engines have evolved considerably over the past two decades, with algorithms helping deliver more relevant results. At the same time, researchers have also shown how search engines may lead users to misinformation or extremist content, especially around fringe topics. Now, with the emergence of artificial intelligence, the future of search engines is at a pivotal crossroads.

This virtual event convenes experts from academia, journalism, and industry to explore what we know about the influence of search engines on the information landscape, what role AI could play going forward, and what to consider ahead of the 2024 election.

Panelists
Zoe Darmé - Senior Manager, Knowledge and Information, Trust, Google
Mia Sato - Platforms & Communities Reporter, The Verge
Francesca Tripodi - Assistant Professor and Principal Investigator at the Center for Information, Technology, and Public Life, UNC-Chapel Hill
Zeve Sanderson - Executive Director, NYU’s Center for Social Media and Politics (moderator)

The following are additional resources shared by panelists during the event:

The Verge: How Google perfected the web - https://www.theverge.com/c/23998379/g...

The Verge: The unsettling scourge of obituary spam - https://www.theverge.com/24065145/ai-...

Google: New ways we're tackling spammy, low-quality content on Search - https://blog.google/products/search/g...

Nature: Online searches to evaluate misinformation can increase its perceived veracity - https://www.nature.com/articles/s4158...

Francisca Tripodi's book: The Propagandists' Playbook: How Conservative Elites Manipulate Search and Threaten Democracy - https://www.amazon.com/Propagandists-...

Information, Communication & Society: 'Do your own research': affordance activation and disinformation spread - https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/...