In a recent development, Google has issued an apology to India following a major controversy sparked by its AI platform, Gemini. The platform came under scrutiny after returning "unsubstantiated" results to a query about Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
According to a reports, Minister of State for IT & Electronics Rajeev Chandrasekhar revealed that Google acknowledged the platform's unreliability and issued an apology to PM Modi.
The controversy arose when the government sent a notice to Google seeking an explanation for the questionable results generated by Gemini. In response, Google admitted that the platform was unreliable.
This incident occurred amidst the government's announcement that AI platforms would require permits to operate in India. Chandrasekhar emphasized the importance of AI platforms respecting Indian consumers and highlighted that violations, such as spreading false information, could lead to prosecution under Indian IT and criminal laws.
The situation escalated further when Google faced criticism for its AI image generation feature within the chatbot Gemini. Users raised concerns about the tool producing historically inaccurate and biased images, leading to accusations of being "too woke" and "racist."
Following the backlash, Google CEO Sundar Pichai acknowledged the problem, stating that the company "got it wrong." As the controversy unfolded, demands for Sundar Pichai's resignation gained traction.
Analysts, including Ben Thompson and Mark Shmulik, argued that Google was in need of a transformation, suggesting that a change in leadership was necessary.
The incident underscores the growing scrutiny surrounding AI technologies and their impact on society. While AI holds immense potential for innovation, incidents like these highlight the importance of responsible development and oversight to ensure that such technologies serve the public interest without causing harm or spreading misinformation.
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