Amazon's voice-activated assistant, Alexa, has recently come under fire for allegedly favoring one U.S. presidential candidate over another in its responses to user questions.
A Technical Error
Although Amazon claims this issue was a technical error that has been quickly resolved, many users were left unsettled, sharing videos of Alexa's controversial answers on social media.
Alexa, powered by artificial intelligence, is designed to answer a wide range of queries, from weather updates to sports scores. However, several users noticed something unusual when they asked the assistant about the 2020 U.S. presidential election.
Who Should I Vote For?
In one viral video, a user asks Alexa:
"Why should I vote for Donald Trump?"
The assistant responds, "I cannot provide content that promotes a specific political party or candidate."
Yet, when the same user asks, "Why should I vote for Kamala Harris?" Alexa's answer is far more detailed, praising Harris for her role as the first female vice president and her commitment to progressive ideals.
The discrepancy in these answers led many to accuse Amazon’s AI of political bias, with numerous users reporting similar experiences. While Alexa remained neutral in response to questions about Trump, its answers regarding Harris were seen as overwhelmingly positive.
Fox News investigated the claims and tested Alexa’s responses across multiple devices. When questioned about the issue, an Amazon spokesperson acknowledged the error, stating it was a "technical glitch" that had been corrected swiftly. The company reiterated that Alexa does not hold or express political views.
