Google has announced that its AI chatbot Gemini will be restricted from answering questions about elections as a precautionary measure and 'out of an abundance of caution.' This decision comes amidst the anticipation of the largest global election year in history, with over two billion voters expected to participate across at least 64 countries, as reported by The World Economic Forum.
In preparation for the numerous elections scheduled worldwide in 2024, Google has decided to limit the types of election-related queries that Gemini will respond to. The chatbot already refrains from addressing inquiries about the upcoming US presidential election, providing a generic message instead, directing users to utilize Google Search for information.
Concerns regarding Gemini's image-generating capability were raised recently, leading Google to disable its ability to create images of individuals following complaints of producing historically inaccurate depictions of people of color.
With India, the world's largest democracy, gearing up for elections in the spring, Google has confirmed the implementation of restrictions on the types of questions Gemini can answer. The company emphasized its commitment to delivering high-quality information for such queries and ongoing efforts to enhance protective measures.
Meanwhile, the Indian government has mandated that tech companies seek approval before publicly launching generative AI models or tools deemed 'unreliable' or 'under-tested.' OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, engaged with officials from the Election Commission of India to explore the safe utilization of AI tools during the electoral process.
Former FBI director Christopher Wray cautioned security professionals about the potential for advancements in AI to facilitate malign influence by less sophisticated foreign adversaries, complicating the detection of foreign interference efforts.
Furthermore, Axel Springer, the parent company of Business Insider, along with 31 other media entities, filed a $2.3 billion lawsuit against Google in a Dutch court on February 28, alleging losses attributed to the company's advertising practices.
