Google has pulled an Olympics advert for chatbot Gemini AI following backlash, after it depicted a girl using AI to write a fan letter.
Entitled ‘Dear Sydney’, the advert told the story of a girl that used artificial intelligence to write a letter to athlete Sydney McLaughlin.
The 60-second spot shows a father asking Gemini AI to help write a letter to the Team USA hurdler on behalf of his daughter.
“Can we talk about the Google AI commercial in which a dad is asking AI to write a letter *for his daughter Sydney McLaughlin to tell her how much she inspired her?,” wrote one X user.
“Who pitched that? That is legitimately the worst, saddest use of AI that I’ve ever heard”
Can we talk about the Google Ai commercial in which a dad is asking Ai to write a letter *for his daughter* to Sydney McLaughlin to tell her how much she inspires her?
Who pitched that?
That is legitimately the worst, saddest, most bummer of a use of Ai that I’ve ever heard
— Liv (@heyitslivagain) July 31, 2024
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“Seeing that Google Gemini AI ad really hurt my heart as someone who taught writing to many young kids. Suggesting that a child that young should u
Seeing that Google Gemini AI ad really hurt my heart as someone who has taught writing to many young kids. Suggesting a child that young should use AI to write a letter to their Olympic hero is a suggestion to steal important experiences from that child
— Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow (@jtbigelow) July 28, 2024
se AI to write a letter to their Olympic hero is a suggestion to steal important experiences from that child,” wrote another X user.
In a statement to CNBC Google said: “While the ad tested well before airing, given the feedback, we have decided to phase the ad out of our Olympic rotation.”
It also added that its goal had been to create an “authentic story” that celebrated “team USA”.
