Google Removes AI Model After Falsely Accusing US Senator of Misconduct

Google has removed its AI model Gemma from its AI Studio platform after U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn accused it of fabricating false sexual misconduct allegations against her, including a claim involving a state trooper from 1987. Blackburn criticized the model for generating defamatory and patently false material, asserting that the false accusations and fabricated links to news articles represent a serious ethical failure and political bias against conservatives. Google acknowledged that Gemma, a smaller AI model designed for developers and researchers, was never intended for consumer use or answering factual questions, and hallucinations are a known limitation of such models. To prevent misuse and confusion, Google removed Gemma from AI Studio but kept it accessible via API for developer use. The company emphasized that many non-developers were improperly testing the model on the platform, prompting the removal to curb further misinformation. This incident highlights ongoing challenges around AI oversight, accuracy, and the risks of defamation when AI models are used beyond their intended scope.