Google Unlists Gemini Ad After Watchdog Callout— Internet Calls Ad 'Fake'

In a move prompted by a watchdog's scrutiny, Google has unlisted a promotional video for its AI chatbot called Gemini. The video, initially released in December, faced criticism from the BBB National Programs’ National Advertising Division (NAD) for allegedly misrepresenting the AI’s capabilities. The video seemingly presents the performance of Gemini in a different light, compared to its current and actual level of prompt recognition and responsiveness. 

The controversial video showcased Gemini’s features, including its conversational AI, drawing identification, and geography game creation. Upon its release, the video received widespread attention, with many impressed by its display of advanced technology. However, concerns soon emerged regarding the accuracy of the video’s portrayal of Gemini’s performance.

Watch the unlisted video below:

The BBB’s National Advertising Division (NAD), which oversees advertising truthfulness, initiated an inquiry into the video following complaints about its depiction. The watchdog’s investigation focused on whether the demo provided a misleading representation of Gemini’s actual abilities. While Google provided a disclaimer, the note was buried in the video description, leading many to believe the contents of the video at the surface level. The specific concerns included whether the video exaggerated the AI's performance.

Google stated in the video's description that they have reduced latency and shortened Gemini outputs for brevity.

Image screengrabbed from Google for Developers

At the beginning of the video, Google provided a brief disclosure, stating that they shortened Gemini's responses for brevity. However, many critics view this as blatant dishonesty, as the video downplays the actual 'intelligence' of Gemini, which is the primary selling point of the AI product.

Google’s Response

In response to the NAD’s findings, Google opted to voluntarily unlist the video. The company clarified that the demo included disclaimers such as reduced latency and modified outputs, meant to illustrate the potential of Gemini rather than present an exact performance depiction. Oriol Vinyals from Google DeepMind emphasized that the video was intended for illustrative purposes only.

“All the user prompts and outputs in the video are real, shortened for brevity. The video illustrates what the multimodal user experiences built with Gemini could look like. "We created it with the intention of inspiring developers," he said in a tweet on X.

Google spokesperson Gareth Evans addressed the situation as well, stating that the video’s removal was a proactive measure in response to the NAD’s concerns. 

“Google is pleased to accept NAD’s resolution of this matter,” shared Evans in a statement to The Verge. Evans shared that the video, along with the blog post explaining the creation of the demonstration in the video, remains available.

For further information, refer to Google’s blog post here.