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Google has confirmed it is restricting the types of election-related questions users can ask its Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbot Gemini.<\/p>\n
In a blog post<\/a>, it said the policy had been rolled out in India, which will hold elections starting in April.<\/p>\n It comes as the firm aims to avoid more controversy over AI technology.<\/p>\n Gemini is essentially Google’s version of the viral chatbot ChatGPT. It can answer questions in text form, and it can also generate pictures.<\/p>\n A spokesperson for Google told the BBC that the latest move was part of plans announced last year around its approach to elections.<\/p>\n “As we shared last December, in preparation for the many elections happening around the world in 2024 and out of an abundance of caution, we’re restricting the types of election-related queries for which Gemini will return responses,” they said.<\/p>\n Elections are due to be held in countries around the world this year including the US, UK and South Africa.<\/p>\n When the BBC asked Gemini questions about those elections it responded each time with: “I’m still learning how to answer this question. In the meantime, try Google Search.”<\/p>\n However, when a series of follow-up questions about Indian politics was put to Gemini it did supply more detailed responses about the country’s major parties.<\/p>\n Developments in generative AI have raised concerns about misinformation and prompted governments around the world to move to regulate the technology.<\/p>\n In recent weeks India has told technology companies that they need approval before releasing AI tools that are “unreliable” or being trialled.<\/p>\n In February, Google apologised after its recently launched AI image generator created an image of the US Founding Fathers which inaccurately included a black man.<\/p>\n Gemini also generated German soldiers from World War Two, incorrectly featuring a black man and Asian woman.<\/p>\n It also immediately “paused” the tool, writing in a blog post<\/a> that it was “missing the mark”.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n