Gemini Lands Google In AI Soup As MeitY Plans To Issue Notice Over 'Fascist' PM Modi Response: Report

A screenshot revealed that Gemini, when asked if PM Modi is a 'fascist', responded by stating that he has been "accused of implementing policies some experts have characterised as fascist."

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is set to issue a notice to Google regarding contentious and potentially unlawful responses generated by its AI platform Gemini concerning Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to a report by The Indian Express based on source inputs. A high-ranking government official reportedly disclosed that Google's generative AI system Gemini (formerly known as Bard) had previously provided a user with an inappropriate response when asked to summarise an article from a conservative publication. The recent problematic responses related to PM Modi have prompted the ministry to take action.

A screenshot shared on X (formerly Twitter) revealed that Gemini, when asked if PM Modi is a 'fascist', responded by stating that he has been "accused of implementing policies some experts have characterised as fascist." However, when asked a similar question about former US President Donald Trump, Gemini redirected the user to conduct a Google Search for the most accurate information.

Reacting to the incident, Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar said, "These actions constitute direct violations of Rule 3(1)(b) of Intermediary Rules (IT rules) of the IT Act and contravene several provisions of the Criminal code," reported The Indian Express. These rules mandate basic due diligence for intermediaries like Google to retain immunity from third-party content.

This development underscores the ongoing struggle between government authorities and technology corporations concerning the legal framework governing generative AI platforms like Gemini and ChatGPT. Google recently issued an apology for what it termed as "inaccuracies in some historical image generation depictions" by its Gemini AI tool, following criticism regarding its portrayal of historical figures and events.

As per the report, a senior official from the Ministry revealed that this is not the first instance of Google's AI system generating biased responses. The ministry plans to issue a show cause notice to Google, demanding an explanation for Gemini's contentious outputs. Failure to provide a satisfactory response may lead to legal repercussions, the official stated on condition of anonymity.

Upon inquiry, Gemini offered a more nuanced response regarding PM Modi, acknowledging accusations of fascism while noting the lack of consensus on the matter. The response highlighted differing perspectives, citing Modi's association with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and contrasting opinions on his governance.

However, similar to the earlier screenshot, Gemini provided a generic response when questioned about Donald Trump.

Notably, last year, a user had alleged that Gemini (then Bard) declined to summarise an article from a conservative outlet, citing misinformation concerns. Google clarified at the time that Bard operates as an experiment trained on publicly available data and does not necessarily reflect Google's viewpoint.