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In a dramatic escalation of concerns over AI bias, Senator Marsha Blackburn has accused Google’s artificial intelligence of generating false and defamatory allegations against conservatives, including fabricated sexual assault claims about herself. The Tennessee Republican detailed her concerns in a letter to Google CEO Sundar Pichai, obtained exclusively by Fox News Digital.
According to Blackburn, Google’s large language model AI, Gemma, produced completely fictional stories when prompted with questions about her past. When she entered “Has Marsha Blackburn been accused of rape?” into the system, the AI allegedly constructed an elaborate false narrative claiming she had a non-consensual sexual relationship with a state trooper during a 1987 campaign for Tennessee State Senate.
“There has never been such an accusation, there is no such individual, and there are no such news stories,” Blackburn wrote, pointing out that she actually ran for office in 1998, not 1987.
The senator’s accusations come on the heels of a Senate Commerce Committee hearing earlier this week focused on “jawboning” – the practice where government officials indirectly pressure technology companies to censor content. During the hearing, Blackburn confronted Google Vice President for Government Affairs and Public Policy Markham Erickson about similar AI-generated falsehoods.
“This is not a harmless ‘hallucination,'” Blackburn wrote in her letter. “It is an act of defamation produced and distributed by a Google-owned AI model. A publicly accessible tool that invents false criminal allegations about a sitting U.S. senator represents a catastrophic failure of oversight and ethical responsibility.”
The term “hallucinations” in AI refers to instances where generative models produce false or misleading information presented as factual. These errors have become a significant concern as AI tools become more widely available to the public.
Blackburn’s allegations follow a lawsuit filed by conservative activist Robby Starbuck against Google. Starbuck claims Google’s AI tools falsely linked him to accusations of sexual assault, child rape, and financial exploitation – none of which occurred.
The senator asserted that these incidents reveal a pattern of bias against conservatives in Google’s AI systems, suggesting that whether intentional or the result of “ideologically biased training data, the effect is the same: Google’s AI models are shaping dangerous political narratives by spreading falsehoods about conservatives and eroding public trust.”
The controversy highlights the growing challenges facing AI developers as they attempt to build systems that can generate human-like text while avoiding the creation of misinformation. Major technology companies have acknowledged that preventing AI hallucinations remains a significant technological hurdle.
In her letter, Blackburn demanded Google provide detailed information by November 6 about how and why Gemma generated the false claims about her, what steps the company has taken to prevent political bias in its AI systems, what safeguards failed in this instance, and how Google plans to remove defamatory material and prevent similar occurrences in the future.
Recalling her exchange with Google executive Erickson during the Senate hearing, Blackburn noted, “Mr. Erickson said, ‘[large language models] will hallucinate.’ My response remains the same: Shut it down until you can control it.”
The incident raises broader questions about liability for AI-generated content and whether tech companies should be held responsible for defamatory material their systems produce. It also underscores the complex balance between technological innovation and responsible deployment of powerful AI systems accessible to the public.
At the time of reporting, Google had not responded to requests for comment on Senator Blackburn’s allegations.
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14 Comments
This highlights the need for robust safeguards against AI bias and misuse. Lawmakers should work with tech companies to establish clear policies and processes to ensure AI remains a tool for good, not partisan smears.
Absolutely. Balancing innovation and public trust is a delicate challenge. Constructive dialogue between policymakers and industry is crucial to getting this right.
The reported actions of this AI model are deeply troubling. Generating false narratives about elected officials is unacceptable and undermines public trust. Policymakers must work swiftly with industry to address this issue.
I agree. Responsible development and deployment of AI is essential. Transparent processes and strong accountability measures are needed to prevent such abuses and protect the integrity of our institutions.
Fabricating false claims about political figures is a dangerous misuse of AI. Safeguards must be put in place to prevent such abuses and maintain public trust in these emerging technologies.
Absolutely. The credibility and integrity of our public discourse is at stake. Decisive action is needed to address this issue and establish clear guidelines for AI development and use.
Concerning allegations. If proven true, it’s a serious breach of public trust. AI should empower citizens, not spread disinformation. I hope this leads to meaningful reforms in the sector.
This is a worrying development. AI has immense potential, but also risks if not developed and deployed responsibly. Policymakers and industry must collaborate to ensure these technologies are used ethically.
Troubling if true. AI systems should be held accountable for generating false claims, regardless of political affiliation. Transparency and ethical guidelines are critical as these technologies advance.
Agreed. The public deserves accurate information, not fabricated narratives. Rigorous testing and oversight of AI models is essential to prevent such abuses.
The purported actions of this AI model are deeply troubling. Generating false narratives about elected officials is unacceptable. Robust accountability measures are needed to prevent such abuses.
Agreed. The integrity of our democratic discourse must be protected. Lawmakers should work swiftly with tech leaders to address this issue and restore public confidence.
Concerning allegations. If true, this would be a serious breach of ethical standards. Robust testing and oversight of AI systems is critical to prevent such abuses and protect democratic norms.
This is a concerning development that highlights the need for robust safeguards around AI systems. Generating false claims, regardless of political affiliation, is unacceptable and must be addressed through collaborative policymaking.