Google Pulls ‘Dear Sydney’ Gemini AI Ad From Olympics Coverage After Controversy

by

As a seasoned gamer with decades of experience under my belt, I’ve seen the rise and fall of countless technologies, from pixelated graphics to high-definition realism. The latest development that has piqued my interest is this AI phenomenon sweeping across the tech landscape.

Google withdrew the advertisement for its Gemini AI system, which was set to air during the 2024 Paris Olympics, following an outpouring of criticism on social media.

“Before the ad was broadcast during the Olympics, it had performed well based on preliminary evaluations. However, after receiving feedback, we’ve chosen to stop running that ad in our Olympic rotation,” said a representative from Google, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.

The following ad, named “Dear Sydney,” showcases a father discussing his daughter, an ardent admirer of the Olympic track and field star Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. He employs Google’s Gemini AI chatbot to aid her in composing a letter expressing her admiration towards Sydney.

He mentions that he’s quite skillful with language, but it needs to be perfect, and then he asks Gemini for assistance in composing the letter.

Following the unveiling of the Dear Sydney ad, numerous online commentators on X, Reddit, and other platforms expressed criticism, pointing out that the heartfelt moment was transformed into something impersonal and mechanical. They also noted a perceived discouragement of original and creative writing, favoring an automated alternative instead.

Google serves as one of NBC’s primary sponsors during the Olympics, with its artificial intelligence (AI) technology playing a significant role in this partnership. However, it’s important to note that the Gemini chatbot is merely a component of the broader AI tools that Google is employing for this collaboration.

Advertisements can occasionally aim to stir emotions or spark debates, but brands typically strive to tug at our heartstrings or motivate us instead. However, the advent of advanced AI-based marketing tools in recent times has led some viewers to perceive commercials differently.

In June, Toys ‘R’ Us showcased an advertisement made solely with Sora, OpenAI’s text-to-video tool. While some spectators were impressed by the high quality of the output, others expressed frustration because they believed it should have been created by humans instead.

Later, Apple released an advertisement for their iPad Pro named “Crush,” where they demonstrated several objects such as a guitar, piano, emoji-like balls, and an Angry Birds figurine, all being compressed by a hydraulic press. This led some viewers to interpret it as a metaphor for big tech suppressing creative pursuits.

Read More

2024-08-02 17:54