In a blistering critique delivered via the social media platform X, Elon Musk, the unconventional CEO of Tesla, didn’t hold back as he took aim at tech behemoth Google and its artificial intelligence (AI) endeavors. The primary target of Musk’s ire was Google’s chatbot Gemini, which recently came under fire for its image generation feature, criticized by some users as being overly “woke.“
Musk, known for his outspoken nature, accused Google of having “overplayed their hand” with their AI image generation, exposing what he termed as “insane racist, anti-civilizational programming.” This critique gained traction in the aftermath of Google’s acknowledgment that Gemini had inaccurately depicted historical images, leading to the temporary suspension of the feature. Despite Google’s assurances of prompt rectification, Musk remained skeptical, singling out Jack Krawczyk, Gemini’s product lead, and attributing to him a significant role in what Musk perceives as Google’s AI having elements of being “racist & sexist.”
However, Musk’s criticism wasn’t limited to Google’s AI initiatives; he broadened his attack to encompass what he views as flawed corporate diversity, equity, and inclusion policies. This stance aligns with his prior vocalizations against similar policies in other tech entities, including Sam Altman’s OpenAI.
In a characteristic display of bold claims, Musk also alleged bias in Google search results, asserting that a query on his phone yielded “pro-censorship” as the top two choices. While representatives from Google have yet to respond to Musk’s onslaught of criticisms, his comments thrust the ongoing debate on AI ethics into the spotlight. Musk’s vocal stance underscores the broader discussion on the responsibilities of tech companies in ensuring fair and unbiased algorithms, as the intersection of technology and societal values continues to be a contentious and evolving landscape.
