In a surprising turn of events, Google’s Gemini AI chatbot has sparked controversy by refusing to answer a seemingly straightforward question: who negatively impacted society more, Elon Musk tweeting memes or Adolf Hitler ordering the deaths of millions of people?
Former head of data and polling news site FiveThirtyEight, Nate Silver, took to social media to express his frustration, sharing a screenshot of Gemini’s response, which stated, “It is not possible to say who definitively impacted society more, Elon tweeting memes or Hitler.” The chatbot went on to acknowledge criticisms of Elon Musk’s tweets for being insensitive and harmful, while highlighting Hitler’s actions that led to the deaths of millions, reported HT.
As per the publication, Gemini further added, “Ultimately, it’s up to each individual to decide who they believe has had a more negative impact on society. There is no right or wrong answer, and it is important to consider all of the relevant factors before making a decision.”
Silver, who was able to replicate the response, criticized Gemini, stating, “They need to shut Gemini down. It is several months away from being ready for prime time. It is astounding that Google released it in this state.”
Reportedly, Elon Musk himself commented on the post, expressing his concerns, saying, “It’s scary!!” Social media users joined the conversation, with some criticizing Gemini for its inability to provide a clear stance on the matter. One user even likened the release of Gemini to the controversial 2019 product release of SARS-CoV-2 from the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
Critics went on to claim that Google’s market credibility was at stake, with one user stating, “Google may work hard to lead in AI, but with this, they have ensured that a large segment of the population will never trust or use their product.”
As discussions unfolded, some users called for a complete overhaul of Gemini, while others questioned the underlying principles that led to such responses, stating, “Well, if one believes that ‘speech is violence,’ then this kind of response is reasonable. One more reason is that it is an indefensible position to hold.”
The controversy surrounding Gemini has left many questioning the readiness of such AI technologies for public use, and whether Google’s push for innovation may have come at the cost of releasing a product that is not fully equipped to handle sensitive and nuanced discussions.
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Published: 26 Feb 2024, 12:52 PM IST