Google Reviews AI Update

Following on from the likes of Shopify Editions, Google released its first ‘collection’ for Spring ‘25. A heavy AI focus was expected and Google delivered.

Integrating AI features seamlessly into existing user journeys has been the focus. Blending value into products with users almost unaware of the shift gives us a glimpse into the proliferation of AI we expect to see over the coming months and years.

If AI is to be a regular part of our lives, we want it to make our lives better. Obviously. Can it help bring us together in ways that the internet was supposed to? In ways that social media hasn’t often been able to?

One small step for man is Google pro-actively guiding users towards a ‘constructive criticism’ mode for all new Google reviews. We tested it out with vociferously negative reviews and it was rather wonderful.

One test review went as follows:

The receptionist was constantly looking at her computer, paperwork, even his own phone. I can’t believe he had the audacity to put a walk away saying it’s time for his lunch. Being late for a flight and then getting treated like this is unacceptable. I would never recommend this hotel!

Google’s ‘constructive criticism’ mode gargled our paragraph for a few seconds and then politely spat out 3 options, from soft to softest:

Soft:

"While I understand receptionists have administrative duties, I felt the focus was too heavily on the computer and paperwork during my check-in. Additionally, I was surprised and concerned when the receptionist took a lunch break during my check-in process, especially given my time constraints with a flight. I appreciate the need for breaks, but perhaps scheduling them could be adjusted to minimize impact during peak check-in/check-out times. I hope this feedback can help improve the guest experience."

Softer:

"During my check-in, I noticed the receptionist seemed quite busy with computer and paperwork. While I recognize these tasks are important, I felt a little overlooked. Furthermore, I was a bit taken aback when the receptionist took a lunch break during my check-in, as I was in a hurry to catch a flight. It might be beneficial to consider how to manage breaks to ensure consistent guest attention, particularly during busy periods. Thank you for considering my feedback."

Softest:

"My check-in experience was somewhat impacted by the receptionist's focus on administrative tasks. I also experienced a delay when the receptionist took a lunch break. Given that I was on a tight schedule for a flight, this caused some concern. I believe a review of reception procedures, particularly regarding guest interaction and break scheduling, could enhance the overall guest experience."

Even though our review was unjust, given our ‘accidental’ admission that we were already late for our flight, the options provided led to a more amicable review. This process has huge potential for showing raging reviewers how to converse, as well as making life a little easier for small businesses around the world trying their best.

Now all we need is a constructive criticism view mode, so even if a customer growls incoherently, a business’s reviews can be viewed in a polite light.

If you read this far, thank you. If you’re still reading, sorry. We think this is a great idea, but it’s not real, yet. Nothing we wrote here is real, it’s just a product of our imagination. Google, if you do use our idea, we just want a small fee for every review posted around the world for the next century. Thanks!