In a recent development, Google has temporarily halted its Gemini AI model from generating images of people after facing a backlash over its alleged failure to depict white individuals. The announcement came on Thursday as users shared images created by Gemini that predominantly featured people of color, raising concerns about representation and accuracy.
Gemini's AI image generation feature came under scrutiny as social media circulated images depicting historical scenes involving only white individuals or featuring predominantly non-white subjects. Critics took issue with the model's apparent oversight, accusing Google of being excessively "woke" to the detriment of truth and accuracy.
Responding to the controversy, Google acknowledged the shortcomings of the Gemini model in a post on X, stating, "Gemini’s AI image generation does generate a wide range of people. And that’s generally a good thing because people around the world use it. But it’s missing the mark here." The tech giant reassured users that they are actively working to address the issues with Gemini's image generation feature and pledged to release an improved version shortly.
Images generated by Gemini circulated on social media platforms in recent days, prompting widespread mockery and outrage. Some users, including Debarghya Das, the founding engineer of enterprise search startup Glean, highlighted difficulties in getting the model to acknowledge the existence of white people.
This incident adds to the ongoing debate surrounding AI models and their potential biases. In the past, similar models have faced criticism for overlooking people of color and perpetuating stereotypes in their results.
Google, in its race to keep pace with rivals like OpenAI, has encountered setbacks in the rollout of its AI products. Last year, the tech giant issued an apology after its AI chatbot Bard made inaccurate statements during a demo, falsely claiming that the James Webb Space Telescope took the first pictures of a planet outside the solar system.
As discussions around AI ethics and bias continue to gain prominence, the tech industry faces the challenge of fine-tuning these advanced technologies to ensure fairness and accuracy in their outcomes.
0 Comments