Google found itself at the centre of a major controversy when its AI platform, Gemini, produced objectionable and biased responses to a query about Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The platform's reliability was called into question, leading to a formal apology from the tech giant to the Indian government. Minister of State for IT & Electronics, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, revealed that Google described Gemini as "unreliable" after the government sought an explanation for the "unsubstantiated" results.
Government's stance on AI testing
The incident prompted a strong reaction from the Indian government, emphasizing that India should not be used as a testing ground for AI platforms. Chandrasekhar criticized the direct release of AI data from labs to the public internet without adequate testing or safeguards.
The stance comes amid global concerns over AI platforms disseminating biased, misinformed, or unverified information.
Regulatory measures announced
In response to the controversy, the government announced that all AI models, including large-language models and software using generative AI, must seek explicit permission before being deployed for users on the Indian internet. This move aims to ensure that AI platforms do not permit bias, discrimination or threaten the integrity of the electoral process.
Impact on Google and its leadership
The controversy has put Alphabet's CEO, Sundar Pichai, under significant pressure, with some analysts and industry observers suggesting that his tenure might be at risk.
Pichai himself acknowledged the issue, stating that the biased responses from Gemini were "completely unacceptable" and promised structural changes to address the problem. Meanwhile, Google has temporarily paused Gemini's image generation feature after inaccuracies were flagged in historical images.
Future of AI regulation in India
The incident has sparked a broader discussion on the regulation of AI companies and generative AI models in India. The government is considering amending the Information Technology (IT) Act to introduce rules that prevent bias of any kind.
This regulatory shift underscores the growing need for oversight in the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence, ensuring that technology serves the public interest without compromising on accuracy or integrity.
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"Sorry, We are unreliable": Google replies to Indian govt over Gemini AI's comments on PM Modi
Google found itself at the centre of a major controversy when its AI platform, Gemini, produced objectionable and biased responses to a query about Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The platform's reliability was called into question, leading to a formal apology from the tech giant to the Indian government. Minister of State for IT & Electronics, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, revealed that Google described Gemini as "unreliable" after the government sought an explanation for the "unsubstantiated" results.
Government's stance on AI testing
The incident prompted a strong reaction from the Indian government, emphasizing that India should not be used as a testing ground for AI platforms. Chandrasekhar criticized the direct release of AI data from labs to the public internet without adequate testing or safeguards.
The stance comes amid global concerns over AI platforms disseminating biased, misinformed, or unverified information.
Regulatory measures announced
In response to the controversy, the government announced that all AI models, including large-language models and software using generative AI, must seek explicit permission before being deployed for users on the Indian internet. This move aims to ensure that AI platforms do not permit bias, discrimination or threaten the integrity of the electoral process.
Impact on Google and its leadership
The controversy has put Alphabet's CEO, Sundar Pichai, under significant pressure, with some analysts and industry observers suggesting that his tenure might be at risk.
Pichai himself acknowledged the issue, stating that the biased responses from Gemini were "completely unacceptable" and promised structural changes to address the problem. Meanwhile, Google has temporarily paused Gemini's image generation feature after inaccuracies were flagged in historical images.
Future of AI regulation in India
The incident has sparked a broader discussion on the regulation of AI companies and generative AI models in India. The government is considering amending the Information Technology (IT) Act to introduce rules that prevent bias of any kind.
This regulatory shift underscores the growing need for oversight in the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence, ensuring that technology serves the public interest without compromising on accuracy or integrity.