Google has decided to halt the Gemini AI’s ability to generate images of people, following revelations of historical inaccuracy in the generated images. These images, depicting US Founding Fathers and Nazi-era German soldiers, were created to challenge gender and racial stereotypes in generative AI. However, the generated pictures have led to concerns about accuracy and have even sparked conspiracy theories online.
The decision to suspend image generation of people in Gemini comes in response to feedback from users who have noticed historical inaccuracies, such as the depiction of non-white people in roles or eras where they were not historically present. For example, some search queries yielded images of Black and Native American women in positions that were not historically accurate for the requested era, potentially erasing the historical realities of race and gender discrimination.
We're already working to address recent issues with Gemini's image generation feature. While we do this, we're going to pause the image generation of people and will re-release an improved version soon. https://t.co/SLxYPGoqOZ
— News from Google (@NewsFromGoogle) February 22, 2024
In light of these concerns, Google has chosen to temporarily disable the feature while they work on improvements. They have also clarified that they are committed to improving Gemini’s ability to generate images of people and that they plan to re-enable this feature in the future.
This move by Google reflects the ongoing efforts of tech companies to grapple with the ethical and social implications of AI technologies, especially concerning their ability to accurately represent diverse historical and cultural contexts.
