In a recent evaluation by The Washington Post, major AI chatbots like Amazon’s Alexa, Microsoft’s Copilot, and Google’s Gemini have shown difficulties in responding to queries about the 2020 U.S. presidential election. While Amazon admits the issue and prioritises accuracy, other companies like Microsoft and Google are avoiding election-related queries to combat misinformation. OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Apple’s Siri, however, successfully answered questions regarding the election, highlighting the ongoing challenges and importance of reliability in AI technology.
In recent evaluations by The Washington Post, major AI chatbots, including Amazon’s Alexa, Microsoft’s Copilot, and Google’s Gemini, have exhibited difficulties in addressing questions about the 2020 U.S. presidential election. When asked who won the 2020 election, Alexa provided incorrect or unrelated responses, citing sources like RealClearPolitics. Google’s Gemini and Microsoft’s Copilot avoided answering altogether, redirecting users to search engines instead.
Amazon spokesperson Kristy Schmidt acknowledged the issue, emphasizing the importance of accuracy and customer trust. Microsoft’s and Google’s reluctance to engage in election-related queries is a strategic decision to minimize misinformation, particularly in light of upcoming elections globally and regulations such as Europe’s new social media law mandating companies guard against misinformation.
OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Apple’s Siri successfully provided correct answers regarding the 2020 election. Apple is enhancing Siri with OpenAI’s generative AI, while Amazon is gearing up to launch an AI-enhanced Alexa next year, despite current challenges with its accuracy.
The AI industry faces scrutiny over its role in disseminating electoral information, with experts underscoring the importance of reliability during the upcoming 2024 election cycle.
