American tech giant Google has issued an apology to the government for the unfounded comments made by its AI platform Gemini regarding Prime Minister Modi. The Minister of State for IT & Electronics, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, informed that Google referred to the platform as 'unreliable' and expressed its inability to provide any justifications for the baseless statements.
According to a report of TOI, We had sent them a notice, seeking an explanation on the unsubstantiated results thrown up by Gemini regarding a particular query on PM Modi. They replied and said, Sorry, the platform is unreliable, the minister said as the govt announced that AI platforms will now need a permit from the state to operate in the country. That is not a defence you can take,” the minister said on the Google response, as he criticised a section of AI platforms that have been offering ‘consumer solutions’ even when they are in a trial phase.
The minister emphasized that India should not serve as a testing ground for AI platforms, particularly in light of the global criticism they are facing for disseminating unfounded, biased, or unverified outcomes. He expressed concern that AI data is being released directly from the laboratory to the public internet without proper testing or safeguards. Referring to Google's Gemini as a prime illustration, he cited the platform's transition from the lab to the public domain without regard for potential legal violations. The minister highlighted the trend where, upon being confronted with such issues, these platforms merely apologize, admitting the unreliability of the information they provide.
The minister said that the Indian government will not permit underdeveloped platforms to roll out comprehensive services, particularly when they fail to make adequate disclosures to users about the potential for misleading, false, or unlawful information. He reiterated that the Indian internet should not be treated as a testing ground for such platforms. If a platform is transitioning from the lab and is still under testing, with unreliable results, the minister insisted that a disclaimer must be prominently displayed on the platform to alert users about its experimental nature.
Also, you have to explicitly inform the user of your platform in the consent form and through the terms of use that this is an error-prone platform and this could produce unlawful content that this is an undertrial platform and may output things that are unlawful and are incorrect. The minister said that AI platforms can’t use India as an extension of their lab, TOI reported.
You cannot view the Indian internet and its users merely as an extension of your research and development endeavors. It's imperative to respect Indian consumers and our digital citizens. Platforms must explicitly inform Indian users that their services may contain errors, be unreliable, or even provide inaccurate information. Therefore, it's crucial to transparently communicate to users beforehand, ensuring they engage with the platform fully aware of its potential limitations and risks.