Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Before booking an Airbnb, trying a new restaurant or hiring someone to work on your home, there’s a good chance you check the reviews first
But five-star reviews may not be as trustworthy as they once were.
Artificial intelligence can now create realistic fake reviews in seconds, making it harder to tell whether the person praising a business or product ever actually used it.
To demonstrate, I asked an AI chatbot to write a glowing five-star review for an imaginary business called Jamey’s Java, a Mediterranean coffee shop in Atlanta.
Within seconds, it produced a convincing review praising the food, atmosphere and service.
There was just one problem.
Jamey’s Java doesn’t exist. Neither does the person who supposedly ate there.
I then asked the chatbot to write 10 more reviews. Each one was worded differently and sounded like it could have been written by a real customer.
That’s what makes fake reviews increasingly difficult to spot.
On Google Maps and other review sites, users can select a business and submit a review. That doesn’t necessarily mean they actually ate there, stayed there or bought anything.
Google says it uses automated systems and artificial intelligence to detect suspicious reviews and remove those that violate its policies. Still, fake reviews remain a continuing problem, especially as AI makes them easier to produce in large numbers.
Don’t rely on the overall star rating alone. Read several individual reviews and look for patterns.
Be cautious if multiple reviews use very similar wording, make the same points or sound unusually polished.
It’s also worth clicking on the reviewer’s profile.
An account that has written only one or two reviews may deserve a closer look. The same is true for someone who appears to have reviewed restaurants, hotels or businesses in several different cities over a very short period of time.
Also check the dates.
A sudden burst of glowing five-star reviews appearing within a few days or weeks can sometimes be a warning sign.
Some of the most useful reviews may not be five stars at all.
Three- and four-star reviews often include both positive and negative details. Someone might praise the food but complain about parking, or recommend a hotel while pointing out that the rooms are small.
Those kinds of specifics can sometimes be more useful than a glowing review that simply says everything was perfect.
AI hasn’t made online reviews useless.
But before spending your money, it’s worth reading past the stars.
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