Watch Google’s Gemini AI ad that sparked public outrage and was removed

The Gemini AI ad that recently aired in the US ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics has reportedly been removed after it received negative feedback online. Google reportedly released a statement saying that it sought public feedback before removing the ad from the Olympic event, but it also went on to defend the idea behind it. The ad was specifically criticized for trivializing human emotion and replacing it with AI. Notably, the tech giant is also the official “Search AI Partner” of Team USA during the sporting event.

Gemini AI Ad Draws Online Criticism

The 60-second video begins with a father monologue about his daughter being a huge fan of American athlete Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and wanting to write a letter to the Olympian expressing how she’s inspired by the athlete and wants to one day break her record. At the end, the monologue is revealed to be a Gemini AI prompt. The ad ends with the chatbot seemingly generating a fan letter, with all the details from the prompt.

After the ad aired on July 26, it immediately received criticism from netizens on various social media platforms. Many questioned the point of sending a letter that is not written by themselves. Others criticized the toneless nature of the ad, which undermines ‘human connections’.

Google reportedly removed the ad due to negative reception. It also issued a rack to Variety, saying, “While the ad was tested well in advance of its broadcast, given the feedback, we have decided to gradually phase the ad out of our Olympic rotation.”

However, the tech giant also defended the idea behind the ad, which was reportedly created by the company’s internal creative team. “We believe AI can be a great tool to enhance human creativity, but can never replace it. Our goal was to create an authentic story celebrating Team USA. It features a real-life track enthusiast and her father, and aims to show how the Gemini app can provide a jumping-off point, thought starter or early draft for someone looking for ideas for their writing,” Google told the publication.