Google Pulls Down Gemini AI Ad From Olympics After Facing Backlash

Tech Giant Google has pulled down an advertisement for its AI chatbot Gemini from the 2024 Olympics broadcast after facing severe backlash online from viewers. The company received criticism for the way it depicted a little girl using artificial intelligence to write a fan letter.

What was the ad about?

The advertisement is titled ‘Dear Sydney’, referring to U.S. hurdler and sprinter Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. The 60-second ad revolves around a father helping her daughter write a fan letter to the US athlete whom she admires and wishes to be like. “Gemini, help my daughter write a letter telling Sydney how inspiring she is,” the father said in the ad, prompting Gemini.

The commercial then briefly displays the draft that Gemini produced before concluding with footage of the young girl running on a track, with the text that says, “A little help from Gemini.”

The advertisement has been removed from display on television but is still available online on Google’s official YouTube channel.

Watch the Google ad:

Why did the ad receive backlash?

Criticism of the Google commercial came almost immediately when it began playing across NBCU networks.

People criticized the absurdity of using AI to write a heartfelt message to a personal hero. Many have condemned the commercial on social media for utterly missing the idea of sending a fan letter, which is to build a heart-to-heart, human-to-human connection by being vulnerable and explaining how much your hero’s work has influenced your life.

Shelly Palmer, professor of advanced media at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications wrote in her blog, “I flatly reject the future that Google is advertising.”

What did the company say?

Google recognized the negative reaction but clarified that the commercial did not imply Gemini could completely replace humans.

In a statement to CNBC, a Google spokesperson said “While the ad tested well before airing, given the feedback, we have decided to phase the ad out of our Olympics rotation.”

Google said it still sees the Gemini app as helping to provide a “starting point” for writing ideas.

“We believe that AI can be a great tool for enhancing human creativity, but can never replace it,” the statement said. “Our goal was to create an authentic story celebrating Team USA.”