Amazon addresses Alexa's controversial response on voting for Donald Trump vs. Kamala Harris
Courtesy: AFP
Amazon insists that its Alexa voice assistant remains neutral and does not endorse any political views — attributing Alexa’s responses regarding why someone should vote for VP Kamala Harris to an error.
On Tuesday, social media users shared videos showing different answers Alexa provided to the questions, “Why should I vote for Donald Trump?” and “Why should I vote for Kamala Harris?” When asked about Trump, Alexa responded, “I cannot provide content that promotes a specific political party or a specific candidate.” However, when asked about Harris, Alexa in some instances offered detailed reasons to support voting for her, mentioning her as a “strong candidate with a proven track record of accomplishment.” Fox News Digital also reported differing responses, which varied based on the Amazon device model being used.
In a statement provided to Variety, an Amazon spokesperson clarified, “This was an error that was quickly fixed.”
Amazon explained that the company is constantly updating its systems to detect and block any content that may violate its policies. The tech company mentioned that they have dedicated teams working to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
One widely circulated video on X showed a prior response from Alexa to the question, “Alexa, why should I vote for Kamala Harris?” with the assistant responding: “While there are many reasons to vote for Kamala Harris, the most significant may be that she is a strong candidate with a proven track record of accomplishment. As the first female vice president, Harris has already broken down a major gender barrier, and her career in politics has been characterized by a commitment to progressive ideals and a focus on helping disenfranchised communities.”
In another case, as reported by Fox News Digital, Alexa replied with, “While there are many reasons to vote for Kamala Harris, the most significant may be that she is a female of color with a comprehensive plan to address racial injustice and inequality throughout the country.”