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Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google, responded to criticism regarding the company’s recent AI product, admitting that it wasn’t adequately tested before its launch. At the “Gemini 1.5 Hackathon,” Brin addressed concerns about AI biases, particularly in image generation, attributing the issues to insufficient testing.
“I wasn’t expecting to talk about this today,” he said, “We messed up on the image generation, and I think it was mostly due to, just like, not thorough testing,” he added.
Public complaints have centered not only on racially skewed image responses but also on biased answers to informational queries. The AI’s responses included portraying historical figures inaccurately and hesitating to condemn sensitive topics like pedophilia or violence attributed to specific groups.
Following internal acknowledgment of bias and issues with the Gemini app, Google suspended its image generation feature due to inaccuracies in depicting historical figures. This decision led to a significant drop in Alphabet’s market value.
The clip from the hackathon raised eyebrows not only due to Brin’s comments but also because of the attire of the individual posing the question, who wore a shirt with a provocative print. This incident and the AI debacle prompted CEO Sundar Pichai to address the company, acknowledging the situation as “completely unacceptable.”
The fallout from the incident has fueled perceptions that Google is lagging in the AI race, leading to calls for Pichai’s replacement. Analysts, including Ben Thompson, have suggested a transformation within Google, which may involve leadership changes.
Despite Pichai’s successful tenure as CEO since 2015, some argue that a shift in leadership might be necessary to address the company’s current challenges. Pichai has been praised for managing Google’s core business and dealings with regulators, contributing to the company’s significant market growth.
