Google's 'Pluribus' Easter egg is a little too good
Considering the complexities of the set-up in Vince Gilligan's Pluribus, it's a little hard to put yourself in Carol's (Rhea Seehorn) shoes to know how you'd react. But if you're looking for a taste, just type "Pluribus" into Google Search.
The search engine's latest Easter egg celebrates the Apple TV series with a neat trick if you search for the series title. Underneath the search bar and above the results, you'll see a small sentence scrolling from the right reading:
"What are you searching for, Carol?"
The response mimics the all-seeing, all-knowing hive mind that is the human race in Pluribus, a connected population known as those of The Joining, who constantly communicate with the protagonist Carol as one. They know everything in an instant and deliver incessant positive reinforcement — something Carol realises through speaking with them through the phone or in person.
Essentially, the Joined are giving AI chatbot — which makes Google's Easter egg, sitting right above AI Overviews in Search and created by a platform whose own Gemini is the answer to OpenAI's ChatGPT, Anthropic's Claude, and xAI's Grok, pretty damn freaky.
If anyone needs me I'll be in a Norwegian ice hotel catching up on Bloodsong of Wycaro.
Topics Apple
Shannon Connellan is Mashable's UK Editor based in London, formerly Mashable's Australia Editor, but emotionally, she lives in the Creel House. A Tomatometer-approved critic, Shannon writes about entertainment, tech, social good, science, culture, and Australian horror.
