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| Source: SOPA IMAGES/LIGHTROCKET VIA GETTY IMAGES |
In response to criticism surrounding its Gemini image generator, Google made a significant announcement on Thursday. The tech giant declared a temporary halt to the tool's capability to generate images of individuals. This decision comes after the program faced backlash for producing misleading depictions of people's races in historical contexts.
Elon Musk, the billionaire founder of xAI, didn't hold back in expressing his discontent with Google's Gemini image generation service. In a post made on Tuesday, Musk didn't mince words, accusing Google's AI chatbot of being "woke" and even going as far as labeling it as "racist."
Which path do you want for AI? pic.twitter.com/1OoujRZokn
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 22, 2024
In stark contrast, Musk's own venture, xAI, is portrayed as a beacon of truth-seeking. Founded in March 2023, the company swiftly introduced its chatbot, Grok, to the market in November. Notably, xAI has refrained from venturing into image generation services as of yet, prioritizing transparency and accuracy in its offerings.
The Gemini image generator, previously hailed for its innovative capabilities, has now become a subject of controversy. Criticism mounted when instances emerged of the tool generating historically inaccurate images, prompting concerns about perpetuating stereotypes and misinformation.
Notably, billionaire Elon Musk weighed in on the issue, branding the service as "woke." His comments underscore the growing debate surrounding the ethical implications of AI-generated content and the responsibility of tech companies in ensuring accuracy and cultural sensitivity.
I’m glad that Google overplayed their hand with their AI image generation, as it made their insane racist, anti-civilizational programming clear to all
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 23, 2024
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 23, 2024
Google's decision to pause the Gemini image generator reflects a commitment to address concerns and reevaluate the tool's functionality. This move highlights the ongoing importance of ethical considerations in the development and deployment of artificial intelligence technologies.
‖ Key Background
Google unveiled its latest creation, Gemini, a conversational AI bot formerly known as Bard, on February 8th, marking its entry into the competitive arena of generative AI alongside rivals like OpenAI's ChatGPT, backed by Microsoft. One of Gemini's notable features is its image generator, akin to Midjourney and OpenAI’s DALL-E.
However, shortly after its launch, users raised eyebrows at the accuracy of the images generated by Gemini. The Verge reported instances where the generator depicted historical figures and scenes with glaring inaccuracies. For instance, when prompted with "US senator from the 1800s," the generator showed images of black women, despite the historical reality that the first black woman to serve in the Senate was Carol Moseley Braun, elected in 1992. Another perplexing example portrayed women and black men donning World War II-era German military uniforms.
Google swiftly responded to the criticism, acknowledging the issue with the generated images. In a statement posted on X on Wednesday, Google admitted, “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.”
