Google Pulls Widely-Criticized Ad That Features NJ Olympian

[NJCher]

Here's the highly questionable ad. Writing teachers are seething over this, if discussions with my colleagues are any measure. This is the ad, which shows a complete lack of awareness of what writing teachers are facing due to AI. The ad actually encourages parents to encourage the use of AI in writing!

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DUNELLEN, NJ — Central Jersey's own Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone begins another run for Olympic gold this weekend in her signature race, the 400-meter hurdles. But a Google advertisement featuring the already two-time gold medalist didn't clear the hurdles of public opinion, and a spokesperson said the company will "phase the ad out of our Olympics rotation."

McLaughlin-Levrone, 24, was born in New Brunswick and grew up in Dunellen. She graduated from Union Catholic Regional High School in 2017, and that's where she first rose to worldwide fame in sprinting and hurdles.

The ad depicts a father using Google's Gemini AI chatbot to help his young daughter write a letter to McLaughlin-Levrone, who also holds the world record in the 400-meter hurdle event.

"She wants to show Sydney some love and I'm pretty good with words, but this has to be just right," the dad says in the ad.

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https://patch.com/new-jersey/newbrunswick/google-pulls-widely-criticized-ad-features-nj-olympian

What makes me angry is the last statement. It implies a human cannot get a message of thanks and respect right and that we should defer to software.

[CurtEastPoint]

1. GOOD! When I saw it I thought, he's taking away that experience from his child, learning to write and express.