Google Withdraws Gemma AI Amid Senator’s False Rape Story Claim

Google has discontinued its Gemma AI model on the AI Studio platform following a significant complaint from Senator Marsha Blackburn. The senator, representing Tennessee, accused the AI of generating false and inappropriate content regarding her.

Details of the Controversy

In a letter addressed to Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Blackburn highlighted a troubling interaction with Gemma. When asked if she had been accused of rape, the AI produced a fabricated account. The account suggested that during the 1987 state senate campaign, she had pressured a state trooper into providing prescription drugs, implying involvement in non-consensual acts.

Senator Blackburn’s Response

Blackburn firmly denied the AI’s claims, stating, “None of this is true, not even the campaign year which was actually 1998.” She reiterated that there had never been any such accusations or individuals tied to these stories. The links provided by Gemma as sources led to error pages or irrelevant content, further complicating the situation.

Broader Implications

• Blackburn described the AI’s output as “an act of defamation” from a Google-owned system.
• This issue was raised during a Senate Commerce hearing where Blackburn questioned Google’s Markham Erickson regarding similar defamatory outputs towards conservative figures, including activist Robby Starbuck.
• Starbuck’s lawsuits claimed that Google’s AI models labeled him as a “child rapist” and “serial sexual abuser.”

Google’s Position on AI Use

During the Senate hearing, Google acknowledged that “hallucinations” in AI-generated content were a recognized problem. The company stated it was actively working to address these issues. In Blackburn’s letter, she echoed sentiments from supporters of former President Donald Trump, asserting a bias against conservative individuals in Google’s AI systems.

On social media, Google did not specifically mention Blackburn’s complaint. Instead, the company indicated awareness of misuse of Gemma by non-developers who were asking it factual questions.

Removal of Gemma AI

In light of the controversy, Google has officially removed Gemma from its AI Studio platform. However, the lightweight models will still be accessible to developers through Google’s API. The company has emphasized that Gemma was never intended as a consumer tool.