See my screenshot here: [imgur.com...]

I'm asking about Google AI results...but also about how Google is reporting fake news about Google...but also about why websites are offering fake stories about Google.

Why are websites offering fake news stories about core updates that don't exist? Are they simply placeholding, so in case Google does release a core update in January, they'll already be #1 in results? If so, why does Google keep listing these fake news sites at the top of results?

Why would a site post a story like this? Sure, I can understand the placeholder scenario. But as someone who googles this stuff, it ensures that the site is one I'd never click on nor trust because I follow SEO enough to know there's volatility but no official update since December. And as far as I know, not even SEO experts have narrowed down what type of content is moving up or down in SERP.

Is this designed to drive me insane? This is Google's own AI giving me detailed information about the "Authenticity Update" that started January 14, even though Google's own list of core updates doesn't include it, nor has any SEO expert I follow mentioned it. Yet Google's own AI is describing it in detail! And although I don't follow her, Lily Ray is purportedly an expert and she's saying that the update is real and official (though it's hard to tell since she also includes a bad joke).

What's an average publisher like me expected to believe?