The new Google is destroying small businesses' reputations
Small business owners are reporting reputational damage caused by inaccurate AI-generated summaries in Google search results. These AI overviews sometimes conflate reviews from different companies, leading to misleading information for potential customers.
Why it matters
The reliance on AI-generated summaries in search engines poses significant risks to small business brand integrity and highlights the lack of accountability in automated content.
Getty Images; Alyssa Powell/BI Damian Mansell was stunned to see what Google was saying about his nascent business. When he searched for reviews of The Plastics Shed — the online building-plastics supplier he incorporated at the start of 2025 — the platform's AI overview said customer feedback was "overwhelmingly negative." It listed complaints about delayed deliveries, lying staff, and damaged products. While the company had some positive feedback, the summary said, its poor customer service was a "significant recurring issue." The good news: The reviews weren't actually about Mansell's company. They appeared to be for competitors and companies that sold actual plastic sheds. The bad news: He had no idea what to do about it. Mansell, who lives in the UK, says. "I can see how that happens, but why should it happen with Google?" Mansell, who lives in the UK.
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