Google has removed its “Dear Sydney” ad for its Gemini AI after public outcry.The 60-second ad features an allegedly real father and daughter. The daughter is a huge fan of Olympic track star Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and wants to write a fan letter to her. All good so far. However, the father in the ad asks Gemini to write the letter for her, listing off a series of bullet points for the AI to hit, including that his daughter plans on beating her record one day.
Backlash was pretty much immediate, with commenters pointing out that while there certainly might be a time AI could be useful in letter writing, using it to craft a heartfelt letter to one’s hero probably isn’t it.In a statement to Variety, a Google representative said the ad tested well before it aired. It also defended the use of AI by the dad in the ad. “We believe that AI can be a great tool for enhancing human creativity but can never replace it,” the rep said. “Our goal was to create an authentic story celebrating Team USA. It showcases a real-life track enthusiast and her father and aims to show how the Gemini app can provide a starting point, thought starter, or early draft for someone looking for ideas for their writing.”
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Google is the “Official Search AI Partner of Team USA” at the Olympics in Paris, where NBC reporters and commentators are incorporating Google’s AI products into their coverage.
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