Google users seeking simple definitions on May 22 faced a strange scenario. The search engine behaved more like a confused chatbot than the indexing system we know. The viral glitch happened when users typed the word “disregard.” But rather than the usual dictionary definitions, pronunciations and traditional web links, Google’s newly embedded AI Overview took the query as a literal system command. The AI responded to confused searchers with an uncanny human message: “Noted. Message disregarded,” blanketing the top of the browser with vast empty space.
The technical glitch quickly became a viral sensation with social media flooded with screenshots of the awkward interaction. Even dictionary giant Merriam-Webster joined in the fun on X, cheekily posting the actual definition of the word next to a screenshot of Google’s malfunction. It didn’t take long for users to find that the problem wasn’t limited to “forgive” — typing “forget” led the AI to suggest an emotional “fresh start,” and searches for “disappointed” returned soothing lines like a therapy bot.
A Google spokesperson later confirmed that the glitch was a case of AI Overviews misunderstanding action-related queries, not an issue with recent system updates, and added that a fix was being actively rolled out. The search results are back to normal now, but the incident has reignited a public debate over Big Tech’s push to aggressively add conversational A.I. to traditional search features.