Google’s AI chatbot, Gemini, will no longer respond to queries about upcoming elections in countries where elections are taking place. The search giant has implemented restrictions on Gemini to prevent the surfacing of election-related answers, citing concerns about potential misinformation and the weaponization of the service.
The restrictions have already been rolled out in the U.S. and are being introduced in India and other major countries with upcoming elections. When users ask Gemini about political parties, candidates, or politicians, they receive a preset message directing them to use Google Search instead. However, some queries with typos still generate responses, indicating a need for ongoing adjustments.
Google’s decision comes amidst growing scrutiny of AI’s role in elections and follows an advisory from the Indian government requiring tech firms to obtain approval before launching new AI models. A recent incident involving Gemini responding to a query about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stirred controversy, leading to the suspension of Gemini’s image generation feature due to historical inaccuracies.
It remains unclear whether Google will lift the restrictions on Gemini after the conclusion of elections later this year.
As concerns about misinformation and AI’s influence on elections persist, Google’s move underscores the importance of responsible AI deployment and the need for continuous improvement in information quality and security.
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