Google pulls controversial Gemini AI olympic ad

Google has removed its Olympic-themed advertisement featuring its generative AI chatbot, Gemini, following widespread criticism. The ad, titled “Dear Sydney,” showcased Gemini creating a personalized letter from a father to Olympic gold medalist Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. 

The content of the letter also has a personal touch, where the girl tells McLaughlin-Levrone that she wants to beat her world record. Critics argue that this depiction erases the role of individual effort and creativity in communication. 

Critics argue the ad diminishes individuality and creativity

Some of the viewers wondered why the girl did not write the letter on her own or at least with her father’s help. Media professor Shelly Palmer stated that such advertisements lead to more dependency on AI-based applications. In her blog post, Palmer warned that this trend may lead to a decreasing level of individuality and less diverse ways of communication. 

Linda Holmes of the NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast called the ad on Bluesky silly, asking, “Who wants an AI-written fan letter?” Holmes pointed out that the ad raises issues on the believability of personal messages. Additionally, Alexandra Petri of the Washington Post called the ad annoying and said it represents a worrisome shift toward the belief that anything can be solved with an app. 

The reaction from the social media and other online platforms has been largely negative. Some of the members of the Daddit subreddit called the ad disgusting and tone-deaf, arguing that it made personal messages less creative and made the parent look like they do not even have the time to teach their children to write. This backlash led Google to pull out the advertisement from its Olympic campaign. 

Google responds to feedback and removes ad

A Google spokesperson confirmed the ad’s removal to MarketWatch, stating, “While the ad tested well before airing, given the feedback, we have decided to phase the ad out of our Olympics rotation.” Although the ad has been removed from airing, it is still possible to watch it on YouTube, though comments are turned off. 

The ad was pulled as Google continued advertising Gemini throughout the Olympics. Google has signed a deal with NBCUniversal and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee and will be the Official Search AI Partner of Team USA. This partnership comes against the backdrop that this is the first time that the sports non-profit organization has entered into a partnership with a tech company.

During the Olympics, commentators on NBC were able to incorporate Google’s Gemini AI into their work. Additionally, NBCU recently estimated that the total revenue generated from the Games will be more than $1.25 billion.