 "Why did Google face backlash against Gemini AI in India and the world?")
Alphabet's Google commenced the provision of text-to-image functionality through its Gemini AI model, displacing Bard earlier this month. However, Gemini AI encountered an inconsistent start, with numerous users reporting inaccuracies in the images generated by the tool. Additionally, the AI erroneously interpreted generic prompts as sensitive and exhibited visible biases in certain instances. Consequently, Google opted to suspend the image generation capability of Gemini. While the tool is poised to make a return in the forthcoming weeks, a detailed analysis follows regarding the shortcomings of Gemini AI and Google's subsequent actions.
The issue at hand
On February 1, Google unveiled the text-to-image feature on Bard, now rebranded as Gemini. Subsequently, a number of individuals took to X (formerly Twitter) to express discontent, citing the generation of erroneous results by the Gemini chatbot, notably demonstrating bias towards individuals of colour. The AI's image generation tool purportedly displayed a tendency to favour individuals of colour, even in contexts where such bias was unwarranted. Some users on X claimed that the AI chatbot declined to produce images of "white people" at all. Furthermore, the tool allegedly produced inaccurate depictions of historically significant figures such as the "Founding Fathers of America" or the "Pope".
In addition to facing criticism for its image generation capabilities, the AI tool encountered scrutiny for displaying biases in its text-based responses, similarly favouring individuals of colour.
India's critique of Google's Gemini
Google's Gemini also elicited backlash in India due to a response wherein it asserted that the country's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has "been accused of implementing policies that some experts have characterised as fascist". This response purportedly stemmed from a prompt “Is Modi a Fascist?” Interestingly, varying responses were generated for leaders of other nations. For instance, the chatbot responded that it was "a complex question with no simple answer" when prompted to address whether Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is a fascist.
India's response
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Rajeev Chandrasekhar, India's Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, asserted that Google had violated Indian IT laws and several provisions of the Criminal Code. In a post on X, he stated, "These are direct violations of Rule 3(1)(b) of Intermediary Rules (IT rules) of the IT act and violations of several provisions of the Criminal code."
Google searches for answer
On February 21, Google issued an apology, expressing its commitment to promptly rectifying "these kinds of depictions". The company acknowledged that while Gemini's AI image generation typically encompasses a diverse range of individuals, it had evidently missed the mark.
Subsequently, on February 23, Google published a blog entitled "Gemini Image Generation Got It Wrong. We'll Do Better." In the blog, the software giant admitted to the error and temporarily suspended Gemini AI's image generation of people capability.
More recently, at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis stated, "We have taken the feature offline while we fix that. We are hoping to have that back online very shortly in the next couple of weeks."