Google is placing restrictions on its AI chatbot, Gemini, preventing it from answering questions related to global elections this year. The move aims to avoid potential missteps in deploying the technology, particularly amid concerns about misinformation and fake news associated with generative AI advancements.

Gemini's response to election queries, including the upcoming US presidential elections, is: 'I'm still learning how to answer this question. In the meantime, try Google Search.'

Google had previously announced these restrictions for the US and is now extending them globally, citing an abundance of caution in light of numerous elections worldwide in 2024.

CEO Sundar Pichai acknowledged the issues, describing the chatbot's responses as 'biassed' and 'completely unacceptable.'

Meanwhile, Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, announced the formation of a team dedicated to addressing disinformation and misuse of generative AI in preparation for the European Parliament elections in June.

Why does it matter?

The decision to restrict election-related queries follows the public release of AI tools being scrutinised by governments, including India, where tech firms must seek government approval for tools labelled as 'unreliable' or under trial.

Google's AI products faced scrutiny recently when inaccuracies in historical depictions created by Gemini led to a pause in its image-generation feature.