Google has made the decision to prevent its AI chatbot, Gemini, from responding to questions regarding global elections set to take place in 2024. This move comes as a response to the growing concerns surrounding misinformation and fake news that have been exacerbated by advancements in generative AI technology, particularly in the creation of images and videos. Previously restricted within the U.S. since December, Gemini’s new approach to election-related queries involves redirecting users to Google Search while highlighting its ongoing learning process. A Google spokesperson explained, In preparation for the numerous elections happening worldwide in 2024 and as a precautionary measure, we are limiting the types of election-related queries that Gemini can respond to. This restriction is not limited to the U.S. only but also encompasses national elections in significant countries such as South Africa and India, the largest democracy in the world.
OpenAI has expanded its lobbying efforts by enlisting the help of former Republican U.S. Senator Norm Coleman. The Microsoft-backed startup has appointed Coleman, who now serves as a senior counsel at Hogan Lovells, to advocate for research and development issues at the federal level. This strategic move was disclosed in a recent U.S. lobbying registration filing by Hogan Lovells. OpenAI, based in San Francisco and known for its flagship generative AI model, ChatGPT, is currently involved in several legal disputes, including copyright disagreements. Notably, the company, co-founded by billionaire Elon Musk, is facing a lawsuit from Musk himself, accusing OpenAI of deviating from its nonprofit mission. OpenAI and its founders have dismissed the lawsuit as confusing and inconsistent. As legal complexities continue to unfold, neither OpenAI nor Coleman has provided immediate responses to inquiries as of Tuesday.
The New York Times is actively combating games that mimic its popular word-guessing game, Wordle, claiming that several imitations violate its copyright protections. Since Wordle’s rapid rise to online fame less than three years ago, numerous copycat games have emerged, prompting the Times, which acquired the game in 2022, to issue takedown notices against specific replicas. By leveraging Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) notices, the Times is targeting developers of Wordle-inspired games, citing infringement on the newspaper’s ownership of the Wordle brand and its unique visual elements, including the arrangement and color scheme of green, gray, and yellow tiles. A representative from The New York Times Co. clarified that the company supports the creation of similar word games as long as they do not infringe upon Wordle’s trademarks or copyrighted gameplay.
