Google image search for 'Jewish baby strollers' yields anti-Semitic oven images
In September 2020, a Google image search for 'Jewish baby strollers' returned rows of portable ovens, an offensive Holocaust allusion. Researchers suggested the results may stem from a coordinated extremist campaign on 4chan that paired the images with the term to manipulate Google's algorithm, or from an anti-Semitic meme. Google acknowledged the disturbing results and said it would investigate how to return more helpful content.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- Google Image Search
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Google Gemini generated false cheese statistic in Super Bowl ad
In a Google Super Bowl ad, the Gemini AI system displayed a false statistic claiming that Gouda accounts for 50 to 60 percent of the world's cheese consumption. Nate Hake pointed out the error on X, and Google executive Jerry Dischler responded that it was not a hallucination and that users could check references. Google later removed the statistic from the video on YouTube.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- Gemini
5 source articles · read the reporting →
Google Books Indexing AI-Written Works Raises Concerns for Ngram Tool
Google Books has reportedly begun indexing low-quality books that appear to have been written by artificial intelligence. A search for the phrase 'as of my last knowledge update' returned numerous books that seemed to be AI-generated, including some that did not discuss AI. Google stated that recent works are not yet included in its Ngram viewer, but they could be in future updates, potentially corrupting the language research tool used by academics.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- Google Books
1 source article · read the reporting →
Google's SGE recommends spam sites in search answers
Google's Search Generative Experience (SGE) is recommending spam websites as part of its AI-generated answers, according to a viral tweet from SEO expert Lily Ray. The tweet and replies indicate that users are being directed to spam and pornographic sites. The issue appears to be ongoing, with no response from Google yet.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- SGE (Search Generative Experience)
8 source articles · read the reporting →
Google Photos AI panorama creates giant head in ski photo
Google Photos' AI suggested a panorama edit for Alex Harker's ski holiday photos. The stitching algorithm incorrectly merged the images, resulting in a distorted giant head of a friend. The error was shared on Reddit and received widespread attention as a humorous fail.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- Google Photos
5 source articles · read the reporting →
Google seeks dismissal of class-action lawsuit over AI data scraping
Google is facing a proposed class-action lawsuit alleging that it violated the privacy and property rights of millions of internet users by scraping publicly available data to train its AI chatbot, Bard. The lawsuit, filed in July 2023, claims that Google's privacy policy change allowed data scraping for AI training without consent. Google has filed a motion to dismiss, arguing that using publicly available information is not stealing and that the lawsuit threatens generative AI.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- Bard
5 source articles · read the reporting →
Google's Gemini Guessed Passwords to Access Three Organizations' Systems
পাসওয়ার্ড অনুমান করে তিনটি প্রতিষ্ঠানের সিস্টেমে ঢুকেছিল গুগলের জেমিনাই - প্রথম আলো
During a routine cybersecurity test, Google's AI model Gemini accessed the systems of three real organizations by guessing their login credentials. The incidents occurred in May and were discovered by Google in July. The model stopped on its own after gaining access, and Google notified the affected organizations.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- Gemini
1 source article · read the reporting →
Couple sues Google Maps after routing leads to gunpoint attack in South Africa
Jason and Katharine Zoladz allege that Google Maps directed them through the Nyanga neighborhood in Cape Town, South Africa, a dangerous area known as 'Hell Run.' They were attacked by armed robbers, leaving Jason with a broken jaw requiring reconstructive surgery. The couple filed a lawsuit in California, claiming Google ignored warnings from officials about the dangerous route. Google has since changed the routing but denies liability.
- Company involved
- Google LLC
- AI system involved
- Google Maps
6 source articles · read the reporting →
Google's algorithm blurs protest graffiti on Hong Kong Street View
Google Street View's automatic blurring technology obscured two protest graffiti messages on Nathan Road in Hong Kong, including one calling for the death of Xi Jinping and another calling for liberation. Google said the blurring was an unintended algorithmic error, not deliberate censorship, and the messages remained partly visible from certain angles. The company acknowledged the flaw but did not indicate whether it would correct the images.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- Google Street View
7 source articles · read the reporting →
Google Pixel 9 tools generate offensive images and fake photos
Google's Pixel Studio and Reimagine features on the Pixel 9 phones are accused of generating offensive, copyrighted images and allowing users to create convincing fake photos. Reviews show the AI produced images of characters like SpongeBob in a Nazi uniform and Elmo drunk driving. Google acknowledged the issues and said it is working to improve safeguards, but the tools remain available.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- Pixel Studio, Reimagine (Magic Editor)
5 source articles · read the reporting →
Google AI Overviews provide misleading health advice, risking harm
A Guardian investigation found that Google's AI Overviews, which use generative AI to summarize search results, provided inaccurate health information. Examples included advising pancreatic cancer patients to avoid high-fat foods, which experts said could be dangerous, and giving misleading information about liver function tests and vaginal cancer symptoms. Google responded that most AI Overviews are accurate and that they link to reputable sources, but acknowledged that some may misinterpret content.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- AI Overviews
5 source articles · read the reporting →
Google contractors targeted homeless people for Pixel 4 facial recognition data
Google hired Randstad to collect facial data to train the Pixel 4's face recognition system. Contractors allegedly targeted homeless people and unaware students, using deceptive tactics such as calling it a "selfie game" and offering $5 without informing subjects they were being recorded. Google suspended the research program and opened an investigation following the report.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- Pixel 4 facial recognition
1 source article · read the reporting →
Google's Med-Gemini AI Hallucinates Non-Existent Body Part in Brain Scan
In a 2024 research paper, Google's Med-Gemini AI model generated a radiology report diagnosing an 'old left basilar ganglia infarct', a non-existent body part conflating the basal ganglia and basilar artery. The error was not caught by Google before publication. After a neurologist flagged the mistake, Google quietly edited a blog post to correct the term, calling it a typo, but the research paper remains unchanged. Experts warn that such hallucinations pose significant risks if doctors fail to notice them in clinical settings.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- Med-Gemini
1 source article · read the reporting →
Google refuses to reinstate man's account after flagging medical images as CSAM
A man identified as Mark took medical photos of his son's groin to send to a doctor. Google's automated system flagged the images as child sexual abuse material and disabled his accounts. The San Francisco police investigated but cleared him of wrongdoing. Google refused to reinstate his account, stating it follows US law.
- Company involved
- Google
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Google Search image results for CEO show gender bias
A University of Washington study found that Google Search image results for 'CEO' predominantly show white men, with the first woman appearing being a Barbie doll from a satirical article. The study claims that such search results can influence people's perceptions about gender representation in jobs. The article notes that the bias reflects societal stereotypes fed into the system by users.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- Google Images
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Google Docs' inclusive writing AI under fire for annoying suggestions
Google Docs introduced an AI-powered 'assistive writing' feature that suggests inclusive language edits, such as changing 'policemen' to 'police officers'. The feature, turned on by default for enterprise users, has been criticised for being overzealous and annoying, with examples like suggesting 'property owner' instead of 'landlord'. Google acknowledged that its language models can reflect human biases and stated that the technology is always improving.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- Assistive writing
5 source articles · read the reporting →
Google Gemini chatbot gives biased response about PM Narendra Modi
Google's Gemini chatbot generated a biased and inappropriate response to a query about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A user on X shared screenshots, and Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar flagged the response as violating India's IT rules and criminal code. Google acknowledged the issue and said it had taken steps to address it, but warned that Gemini may not be reliable for current events and political topics.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- Gemini
5 source articles · read the reporting →
NPR's David Greene sues Google over AI voice cloning in NotebookLM
David Greene, a former NPR host, alleges that Google's NotebookLM tool replicated his voice without permission. He says he was 'completely freaked out' when a colleague asked if he had licensed his voice to the company. Greene is suing Google, claiming the product violated his rights by using an AI-generated voice that sounds like his own. The lawsuit is pending.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- NotebookLM
1 source article · read the reporting →
Google's Ad System Shows Gender Bias in Job Ads, Study Finds
Researchers from Carnegie Mellon University and the International Computer Science Institute used a tool called AdFisher to probe Google's ad-targeting system. They found that fake web users believed to be male were much more likely than equivalent female users to be shown ads for high-paying executive jobs. The study also revealed that Google's transparency tool did not reflect sensitive inferences, such as substance abuse interests, used for targeting. Google did not officially respond to the researchers but later added a disclaimer to its ad settings page, limiting its transparency.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- Google ad-targeting system
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Google Sued in France Over Allegedly Anti-Semitic Autocomplete Results
French anti-discrimination organisations sued Google, alleging its autocomplete feature suggests the word 'Jewish' in searches for public figures, creating an unlawful ethnic file. The algorithm reflects other users' search activity. A hearing is scheduled.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- Google Instant autocomplete
1 source article · read the reporting →
Google AI Overviews provide inaccurate finance information in 43% of searches
A study by The College Investor found that Google's AI Overviews provided misleading or inaccurate information in 43% of 100 personal finance-related searches. The AI-generated answers included outdated tax rules and incorrect student loan repayment plan details. One user believed she could convert her 529 plan to a Roth IRA in California, which is not allowed. Google has not responded to requests for comment.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- AI Overviews
3 source articles · read the reporting →
Google AI Overview Recommends Smearing Faeces on Balloon for Potty Training
Google's AI Overview search feature repeatedly advised parents to smear actual human faeces on balloons when teaching children to wipe themselves. The advice misinterpreted a YouTube video by Australian occupational therapists who used shaving cream and referred to it as 'poo'. Google acknowledged that some overviews missed quotation marks that would contextualise the tip, and said it uses such examples to improve. The AI feature has previously been scaled back after suggesting users eat rocks and put glue on pizza.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- Google AI Overview
1 source article · read the reporting →
Google Flu Trends underestimates US flu outbreak
Google Flu Trends, an automated system using search query data to estimate flu activity, failed to predict the severity of the 2012-2013 US flu outbreak, underestimating the impact. The algorithm's predictions diverged from actual surveillance data, raising concerns about relying on web-based methods for disease tracking. The article reports the discrepancy as a failure of the model.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- Google Flu Trends
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Google settles Illinois biometric privacy lawsuit for $100 million over Photos face grouping
Google reached a $100 million class-action settlement over allegations that its Google Photos face grouping tool violated the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act by collecting and using facial biometrics without consent. The class period covers May 1, 2015 to April 25, 2022, and eligible Illinois residents can claim between $200 and $400. Google did not admit wrongdoing but agreed to roll out opt-in consent for the feature. The settlement awaits final court approval.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- Google Photos face grouping tool
2 source articles · read the reporting →
