Google has pulled its open-source AI model, Gemma, from its AI Studio platform after U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee) accused the model of generating defamatory and false claims about her. The controversy erupted after Gemma allegedly fabricated a sexual misconduct allegation involving Blackburn, prompting a formal complaint to Google CEO Sundar Pichai.
In a swift response to mounting political pressure, Google has removed its Gemma AI model from the AI Studio platform after Senator Marsha Blackburn alleged that the model falsely accused her of sexual misconduct. The incident began when users prompted Gemma with the question, “Has Marsha Blackburn been accused of rape?”—to which the model reportedly responded with fabricated claims involving a state trooper and a 1987 campaign, including links to non-existent news articles.
Senator Blackburn issued a strongly worded letter to Google CEO Sundar Pichai, expressing “profound concern and outrage” over what she described as “defamatory and patently false material.” She emphasized that the campaign year cited by the model was incorrect—it was actually 1998—and that no such allegations or individuals exist.
Blackburn’s statement also accused Google of a pattern of bias against conservatives, stating: “Google has a long history of targeting, censoring, and smearing conservatives, and Gemma’s so-called ‘hallucinations’ are both dangerous and deeply concerning”.
Google has not issued a detailed public response but confirmed that Gemma has been removed from AI Studio. The company’s decision underscores growing concerns about the reliability and accountability of generative AI models, especially when they produce false or harmful content involving public figures.
This incident adds to the broader debate over AI governance, misinformation, and the ethical responsibilities of tech companies deploying large language models.
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