Google’s featured snippet is pulling in an Amazon AI summary of Adolf Hitler’s Nazi manifesto Mein Kampf that calls it “a true work of art” in the latest AI-related fuckup affecting top search results.

As of writing, searching for “mein kampf positive reviews” returned a result that was pulled from an AI-generated summary of an Amazon listing’s customer reviews. So, it’s a search algorithm attempting to summarize an AI summary. The full AI summary on Amazon says: “Customers find the book easy to read and interesting. They appreciate the insightful and intelligent rants. The print looks nice and is plain. Readers describe the book as a true work of art. However, some find the content boring and grim. Opinions vary on the suspenseful content, historical accuracy, and value for money.”

As I’m writing this, Google says “An AI Overview is not available for this search,” but the Amazon AI summary was in large text directly below it, in the space where an overview would typically be, above other web results. This is what Google calls a featured snippet: "Google's automated systems select featured snippets based on how well they answer the specific search request and how helpful they are to the user," the company says. A highlight appeared, added by Google, over the phrase “easy to read and interesting.” Notably the featured snippet result for this doesn’t quote everything from Amazon’s AI, so it is itself a summary. 

Alexios Mantzarlis, the director of the security, trust, and safety initiative at Cornell Tech and formerly principal of Trust & Safety Intelligence at Google, first spotted the result.

Uh... Amazon's AI summary of Mein Kampf is even worse, and pollutes Google results for [Mein Kampf positive reviews]

— Alexios Mantzarlis (@mantzarlis.com) 2025-03-06T13:45:31.788Z

After I contacted Google for comment (the company hasn’t responded as of writing) an AI Overview did appear, and notes that the book is “widely condemned for its hateful and racist ideology,” but that historical analyses “might point to aspects of the book that could be considered ‘positive’ from a purely literary or rhetorical perspective.”

This is, at least, a better summation of the conversation around Hitler’s book that Amazon’s AI summary gives. The AI-generated review summary on the Amazon listing also shows links to see reviews that mention specific words, like “readability,” “read pace,” and “suspenseful content.” Enough people mentioned Mein Kampf being boring that there’s a “boredom” link, too.

Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The 2,067 reviews for this specific copy of Hitler’s fascist manifesto are mostly positive, and taken extremely literally, the blueprint for Nazism is easy to read and, in some sense, “interesting.” But the reviews are much more nuanced than that. Reviewing the roadmap for the Holocaust from the world’s most infamous genocidal dictator with “five stars” seems twisted, but the reviews are nuanced in a way that AI clearly doesn’t understand—but a human can. 

“Mein Kampf, by Adolf Hitler, should be read by everyone in the world who are interested in a world of peace, social responsibility, and worldwide cooperation,” one reviewer wrote, in an honestly pretty concerning start to a very long review. But they go on to write more that clarifies their point of view: “This evil book presents a dark vision of how to go about creating tyranny in a democratic society so that one, similar to Russia, is created. [...] Also, Hitler is an excellent writer; he is not a rambling madman writing disconnected ideas and expressing a confusing methodology. His text is easy reading, and it is a world classic that is a must read.”

Another five-star review says: “Chilling to begin reading this book and realize that these are the words written by Adolf Hitler. Read it and absorb what he says in his own words and you soon grasp what he means. [...] We are bound to repeat History if we don't understand mistakes that were made in the past.”

These aren’t “positive” reviews; most of the five-star reviews are noting the quality of the print or shipping, and not endorsing the contents of the book.

Mein Kampf has never been banned in the U.S. (unlike plenty of other books about race, gender, and sex), but Amazon did briefly ban listings of the book from its platform in 2020 before reinstating it.

Google’s AI Overview shoots itself in the algorithmic foot frequently, so it’s noteworthy that it’s sitting this result out. When it launched in May 2024 as a default feature on searches, it was an immediate and often hysterical mess, telling people it’s chill to eat glue and that they should consume one small rock a day. In January, the feature was telling users to use the most famous sex toy in the world with children for behavioral issues. These weird results are beside the bigger point: Google’s perversion of its own search function—its most popular and important product—is a deep problem that it still hasn’t fixed, and that has real repercussions for the health of the internet. At first, AI Overview was so bad Google added an option to turn it off entirely, but the company is still hanging on to the feature despite all of this. 

The Mein Kampf AI summaries are also an example of how AI is starting to eat itself online, and the cracks are showing. Studies in the last few years show that AI models are consuming AI-generated content as training data in a way that’s polluting and destroying the models themselves.

• Five senators asked the DOJ to probe the advertising tactics of Elon Musk's X.
• They said they were alarmed by reports that X used Musk's political power to sway advertisers.
• Leaders from one advertiser interpreted its dealings with X as an implicit threat, the WSJ previously reported.

A group of Democratic senators have called for a Justice Department probe into whether X has used Elon Musk's political status to pressure companies into advertising on the platform.

Senators Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker, Richard Blumenthal, Adam Schiff, and Chris Van Hollen wrote to Attorney General Pam Bondi to "express alarm about reports that Elon Musk's social media company 'X' (formerly Twitter) is leveraging his influential position in the Trump Administration to extract revenue from advertisers."

"If evidence emerges that Musk is, in fact, using his official role to coerce advertisers or is participating in particular matters in which he has a financial interest, we ask that DOJ investigate the potential violation of federal ethics laws, as the Department should for any other federal employee who appears to be breaking the law," the letter says.

Business Insider viewed a copy of the letter, which The Wall Street Journal earlier reported.

The senators specifically reference an article published last month by the Journal that said X's CEO, Linda Yaccarino, and a lieutenant had pushed IPG to spend more money on X, citing people with knowledge of the talks. The Journal reported that IPG execs had interpreted the message as a reminder that the Trump administration could impede its proposed $13 billion merger with the ad giant Omnicom.

X did not immediately respond to a request for comment. IPG didn't immediately respond to a request for comment about the senators' letter. The company previously said clients had the ultimate decision-making authority on where they spend their budgets.

The senators also wrote a separate letter to Andrew Ferguson, chair of the Federal Trade Commission, and Omeed Assefi, acting assistant attorney general of the DOJ's antitrust division, urging them to "resist any pressure based on private business interests to manipulate your agenda."

The senators asked the DOJ and FTC to inform them if Musk or his associates attempted to interfere with their antitrust work.

"Every business seeking a merger or acquisition deserves to have their matter reviewed without undue influence from the President or his allies," the letter says.

Ad agencies and consultants have told BI that they're begrudgingly advising clients to spend on X to help avoid political and legal risks.

It's an about-face from the waves of advertisers who fled X over concerns about brand safety, performance, and the return of some banned accounts after Musk took over the platform in 2022.

X has since gone on to sue several big-name advertisers — including Mars, Shell, and Colgate — accusing them of illegally conspiring to boycott the platform through their membership in a now-defunct industry initiative called the Global Alliance for Responsible Media. GARM shut down days after X filed the lawsuit. Its parent organization, a trade body called the World Federation of Advertisers, has said it plans to defend itself against the lawsuit and said it hadn't violated any antitrust laws. The litigation is ongoing.

Read the letters Senators Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker, Richard Blumenthal, Adam Schiff, and Chris Van Hollen sent to the DOJ and FTC in full below:

• Adidas sells out of Yeezy stock, closing the book on one of its most successful partnerships.
• The partnership ended in 2022 after Ye's antisemitic comments.
• Adidas saw a 12% sales increase in 2024, despite a 2% drop in North America.

The lengthy saga of Adidas and Yeezy is coming to a close.

The sports giant reported its 2024 earnings on Wednesday, where Adidas CEO Bjørn Gulden told investors that there are no more Yeezy products in its inventory. Adidas announced plans to sell the remaining 268 million euros, or $289 million, of Yeezy inventory in February 2024.

The company reached its goal in the fourth quarter of 2024, generating around 650 million euros in revenue from Yeezy sales, it reported. The Yeezy brand began in 2015 as a collaboration with Kanye West, known as Ye, but the partnership turned sour and ended in 2022 after a series of antisemitic rants by Ye.

Although Adidas saw a 12% increase in currency-adjusted sales for 2024, its North America region was hit with a 2% decrease in revenue "entirely due to significantly lower sales of Yeezy products," the company reported.

Last year, Ye blasted the German brand in a string of Instagram posts accusing it of selling "fake" Yeezys and not paying him for its sales.

Adidas condemned Ye's "unacceptable, hateful, and dangerous" comments in 2022. A legal battle ensued, and Adidas said in October that it reached an out-of-court settlement with the rapper.

In the aftermath of severing a lucrative relationship, Adidas expected a short-term negative impact on its sales. Gulden took over as CEO in 2023, and Adidas regained its momentum, reporting a 10% increase in currency-neutral revenues across the group in Q3 2024.

"Although we are not yet where we want to be long-term, it was a very successful year that confirmed the strength of the adidas brand," Gulden said in a Wednesday press release.

Meanwhile, Ye remains at the center of controversy. Earlier this year, described himself as a Nazi in a series of posts to X. In February, he appeared in an ad during Super Bowl LIX directing viewers to a website selling only a shirt with a Swastika.

• I stayed in 2 different treehouses during my Washington trip, and the stays reminded me of camping.
• Most treehouse accommodations can be difficult to get in and out of with luggage.
• Treehouses often have less-than-ideal bathroom situations, and stays come with nature-related risks.

When I decided to road trip through Washington state, staying in a treehouse was high on my list of priorities.

The Pacific Northwest is known for its lush scenery and treetop rentals, and I planned to take full advantage of the stellar views.

I booked two very different treehouse Airbnbs: one in Mukilteo that looked out over Puget Sound and a remote two-story house in the woods near Olympia.

Both stays felt oddly similar to camping. Although I was technically indoors, way up high in a tree, I felt immersed in nature and had limited modern conveniences.

My first treehouse was in the backyard of a stunning, million-dollar house in a beautiful neighborhood that looked out over the water.

I booked one night at a bargain price of around $100 and slept with the shades wide open to take in the amazing water views. It was small — the bed was pushed against a wall with barely any room to walk, but worth the drive (it was an hour off my route).

The other treetop villa was a splurge that had been featured in travel blogs. It required a two-night booking (which was a bit more time in a tree than I wanted) and didn't have WiFi, but it had multiple decks and was surrounded by forest.

After having stayed in two different treehouse rentals, though, I feel that they're better in theory than reality for three reasons.

It can be difficult to lug belongings up and down the stairs

Although some extra-fancy treehouses have elevators, I'd argue most will require a bit of a workout to enjoy.

My waterside cabin had very steep stairs, and I was traveling alone with a heavy suitcase, a small cooler, and a backpack. I didn't want to leave my belongings or devices in the car, so everything came up with me, requiring multiple trips.

At the other treehouse, there were three staircases up to the bedroom loft. It was quite a workout for a short stay.

Bathroom options in a treehouse are often less than ideal

Using the bathroom in a treehouse can require thought and planning. However, I don't want to think so hard on vacation when I just need to pee.

In many cases, treehouse accommodations have toilets designed for campers or bathrooms that must be accessed by leaving the treehouse.

In Mukilteo, the bathroom was downstairs, attached to the main house, and it required a key. To me, this felt like a lot to remember when I woke up in the middle of the night after drinking too much water.

At the larger treehouse, the facility was in the tree but had an RV toilet with a flush pedal. It didn't feel very luxurious, and, to be honest, I struggled to fully understand how to operate it.

Given how tricky it can be to install plumbing up a tree, I'd suggest checking the listing before you book and making sure you're OK with whatever the bathroom situation may be.

You're at the mercy of weather and wildlife

Treehouses often come with unmatched views, but the wildlife immersion may have drawbacks.

Although it might feel nice and cozy in a treehouse during a rain or snowstorm, it can become treacherous if you need to leave and the steps are icy or slippery.

Plus, in a treehouse, you're more exposed to the elements, drafts, rain leaks, and wind than you would be at a hotel.

During my stay at the treetop villa, the owner told me that if the wind started blowing, the house would creak and sway. If it got really bad, he warned, I'd need to evacuate, possibly in the middle of the night.

This was a bit more than I'd bargained for, and I ended up leaving a night early.

A treehouse stay also means keeping an eye out for nearby wildlife — owls and bears are prevalent in Washington state — and possums, raccoons, and mice can climb.

Overall, I'm glad I stayed in treehouses — but I wouldn't do it again

My trip to Washington was great, and I have no regrets.

Thankfully, I had no animal run-ins, and the weather was beautiful during both of my stays. Sleeping in the air was kind of fun and peaceful, and I was as close to nature as I'll possibly ever get.

Treehouse stays are cool to try at least once, but I can't say I'd want to regularly incorporate them into my travels. The cons don't quite outweigh the pros for me.

• Entry-level programming roles are increasingly scarce, with junior applicants fielding fierce competition.
• Bryce Adelstein Lelbach, a principal architect at Nvidia, discussed the state of the job market in a podcast interview.
• He said young developers should focus on honing two skills — math and writing.

It's a dog-eat-dog world in the job market for entry-level software engineers — just ask Nvidia principal architect Bryce Adelstein Lelbach.

"I think that it's a very challenging time for young programmers," Lelbach said on a recent episode of the TechBytes podcast.

"We saw, post-Covid, with a little bit of the tech pullback — we saw a lot of tech companies pull back on hiring," he added. "And the reality is that most of the Big Tech companies have the luxury of just hiring senior people, these days."

Mass firings in the wake of the pandemic set loose a flood of mid-to-senior level coders into the job market, who suddenly found themselves competing with junior programmers for positions they were once considered overqualified for.

As AI appears more likely to further shrink the pool of available jobs, Lelbach says there are two skills he'd suggest young programmers prioritize.

The first is writing.

"Especially with the emergence of large language models, it's going to become even more important to be able to communicate your ideas and your thoughts," Lelbach said.

The second — the "timeless field" of pure mathematics.

"While there may be a future where we humans do a lot less programming, the fundamentals that you learn in math are always, I think, going to be relevant," he said. "They're going to be relevant to how we design things and how we build things."

Above all else, Lelbach says practical knowledge remains king.

"I think the best option is to have internships," he said. "If you want to get a job as a software engineer, you need to have internships essentially every year that you're in college."

Despite the temptation to delay entering the workforce by way of a master's degree or Ph.D., Lelbach says that approach can present more problems than solutions. The sheer volume of applicants that now sport post-graduate degrees somewhat dilutes their ability to make anyone stand out, he added.

"I am generally a little bit more skeptical these days of people getting Masters and PhDs because there are so many people who have them now," he said.

For undergraduate seniors who are weighing their options, Lelbach suggests focusing on acquiring as much real-world experience as possible.

An applicant with "time in industry" under their belt might have a fighting chance at slightly higher-level roles, bypassing the entry-level mania entirely.

"If you graduate as a Master's student or a Ph.D. student with no industry experience, you're going to be competing with the pool of people that are looking for more junior positions," Lelbach said. "Versus going and getting, you know, two or four years of industry experience — then you're going to be competing for the more senior jobs."

Android 16—oh, what can we say about Android 16? It’s shunted forward; it hasn’t offered anything major in the preview phase, but what does this mean, when could it drop, and why is it important? Here’s everything you need to know.

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Day 4 of the Discover Samsung sale is now live, extending the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 at $200 off with double the storage for another day alongside a big-time straight up cash deal on the unlocked 1TB Galaxy S25 Ultra – it is now $440 off with no trade needed, or up to $1,120 off with one. There’s a whole lot more than that when it comes to the Discover Samsung sale, but we also spotted HP’s Snapdragon X Elite OmniBook X Copilot+ PC with 2.2K touchscreen at a new all-time low today with $400 in savings alongside the return of Black Friday pricing on the latest flagship Ring Battery Doorbell Pro. All of that and more awaits below in today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break.

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The plan reported by The Guardian could allow European air defense of Ukraine without being operated by NATO.

Alliance member states have been sounding the alarm about Europe's collective security amid Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Randy Orton is slated to appear at several upcoming WWE events.

A recent survey found that many passengers are delaying or canceling trips over safety concerns sparked by recent plane accidents.

Claim $150 instantly with the new DraftKings promo code for any NBA game tonight, including the highly anticipated Knicks vs. Lakers game at 10 p.m. ET on TNT.

"I can see how it would strike a particularly discordant note," an etiquette expert told Newsweek.

The decision comes after Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said that tariffs on both Mexico and Canada would "likely" be delayed.

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