Google is preventing Gemini from potentially spreading election misinformation

Ahead of elections in several countries this year, Google says that Gemini, its generative AI chatbot, will not be able to answer questions about elections in that user’s country.

The California-based company is taking measures to stop the spread of misinformation. According to a Google blog post spotted by TechCrunch, Google confirmed that users who search for information about the elections will receive limited answers. The U.S. has already received the update, while India and other countries can expect the same one in due time.

“Out of an abundance of caution on such an important topic, we have begun to roll out restrictions on the types of election-related queries for which Gemini will return responses. We take our responsibility for providing high-quality information for these types of queries seriously, and are continuously working to improve our protections,” Google wrote in the blog post.

When U.S.-based TechCrunch asked Gemini about the upcoming election, it said, “I’m still learning how to answer this question. In the meantime, try Google Search.”

It’s worth noting that India put out an advisory for companies with AI, requiring tech firms to get government permission before a new chatbot can debut in the country.

Measures like these show Google’s worry about the damages caused by misleading answers. AI is still a work in progress after Gemini was forced to stop generating photos of historical people for getting their depictions wrong.

In a Google India Blog Post, the company said elections are a critical part of its responsibility, understanding that millions of Indians will participate in the vote and its focus is on putting out high-quality information.

There is no definite answer on whether this policy will continue past this year, but most likely, Google will stick to preventing further mishaps.

Source: Google Via: TechCrunch