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Google Gemini’s ‘wokeness’ sparks debate over AI censorship
Google AI models are now being dinged by tech worker users for refusing to generate historical imagery and producing inaccurate depictions.
A number of tech workers, leaders, and writers have posted screenshots of their interactions with the chatbot, and more specifically, examples of bizarre and inaccurate image generation that appear to be pandering toward diversity and/or “wokeness.” A number of users blame the chatbot’s adherence to “ wokeness,” a concept based upon to denote those conscious of longstanding persistent racial inequality in the U.S. and many European countries, but which has in recent years been used as a pejorative for overbearing political correctness and performative efforts by organizations to appear welcoming of diverse ethnicities and human identities — and criticized especially by those with right-leaning or libertarian views. Make it too constrained, and take flack from centrists (again) and conservative or right-leaning users for being ahistorical and avoiding the truth in the name of “wokeness.” AI companies are walking a tight-rope and it is very difficult for them to move forward in a way that pleases everyone or even anyone.
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