Google has announced a temporary halt to its Gemini artificial intelligence image generation feature, citing “inaccuracies” in historical depictions.
Complaints from social media users highlighted the AI tool’s tendency to generate images of historical figures, such as the U.S. Founding Fathers, with inaccurately depicted ethnicities.
In a statement posted on X on Wednesday, Google acknowledged that while the AI feature can produce a diverse range of images, it admitted to “missing the mark” with historical representations. The tech giant assured users of its commitment to promptly improve these depictions.
On Thursday, Google issued an updated statement indicating a pause in Gemini’s image generation feature. The company intends to re-release an “improved” version in the near future.
The image generator tool was introduced at the beginning of February under the Gemini platform, formerly known as Bard. However, it faces challenges amidst Google’s efforts to compete with Microsoft-backed OpenAI.
Gemini’s image generation capabilities were inaccessible on Thursday morning during testing by a CNBC reporter.
While Google grapples with issues surrounding Gemini’s image creation, OpenAI unveiled Sora, its latest generative AI model capable of generating videos from users’ text prompts.
Jack Krawczyk, senior director of product for Gemini at Google, emphasized on Wednesday that the company’s image generation capabilities aim to reflect its “global user base” while prioritizing representation and bias mitigation.
Google launched Gemini, its most sophisticated AI model, at the end of 2023. Additionally, this month witnessed the rebranding of Bard, Google’s ChatGPT competitor, to Gemini, alongside the introduction of a subscription service for an enhanced version of the AI model.