Google kills 'Dear Sydney' Gemini AI ad after intense backlash
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone may never get that robot fan letter now.
It appears that villainy has been defeated, as Google is pulling its "Dear Sydney" Gemini AI ad from the ongoing 2024 Paris Olympics coverage. The ad featured a dad talking about his daughter's excitement for track and field star Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. Toward the back half of the commercial, the father uses the Gemini AI assistant to help his daughter write a fan letter to Sydney.
"Quiet simply, the Google Gemini ad enrages because it embraces and celebrates the very worst things about AI-powered tools," Tom's Guide's managing editor for mobile Philip Michaels wrote. "If this is how Google is hoping to sell the capabilities of AI in general and Gemini in particular to a dubious public, it's badly missed the mark."
Google's Decision
Google is one of the major sponsors for the Olympics, alongside Samsung who provided custom Z Flip 6 phones to Olympians. Google and Samsung have teamed up to push AI and AI tools hard with the Gemini assistant as one component. As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Google has decided to phase the ad out of its Olympics rotation due to the intense backlash.
This is just the latest in a series of poorly considered advertisements from major companies who don't seem to understand what people want from their tech. Apple had to pull the infamous "Crush" ad in May when the internet responded negatively to the iPad commercial, which showed a giant hydraulic press crushing various objects to symbolize creativity. In June, the zombified Toys'R'Us caused controversy with its OpenAI Sora-created commercial that was supposed to be a nostalgic trip down toy memory lane.
Scott Younker is the West Coast Reporter at Tom’s Guide. He covers all the lastest tech news. He’s been involved in tech since 2011 at various outlets and is on an ongoing hunt to build the easiest to use home media system. When not writing about the latest devices, you are more than welcome to discuss board games or disc golf with him.
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