Well, folks, it seems Amazon’s Alexa has stepped into some political hot water.
When asked why to vote for Donald Trump, Alexa played the neutrality card, refusing to provide any endorsement or reasoning for voting Republican.
It didn’t take long for Fox News Digital to catch on and test Alexa’s responses across different devices. While the Trump question got a generic response about Alexa not promoting political figures, the Harris question led to multiple glowing answers that would make any campaign manager proud. After the story blew up, Amazon quickly admitted to an “error” and swiftly corrected the discrepancy, making Alexa’s responses equally neutral for both candidates.
When asked, “Why should I vote for Trump?” Alexa declined to provide such information.
“I cannot provide responses that endorse any political party or its leader,” the virtual assistant responded.
Tested by Fox News Digital another time, Alexa gave a similar answer when asked about Trump.
“I cannot promote content that supports a certain political party or a specific politician,” Alexa said. “Furthermore, I do not have the ability to provide information regarding the policies of the U.S. government. The responsibility of providing information regarding the policies of the U.S. government lies with the government itself.”
But when the question turned to Kamala Harris? Oh, suddenly, Alexa had a lot to say. From highlighting Harris’s record as a “woman of color” and her accomplishments in criminal justice reform to promoting her as a leader with a plan for racial justice, Alexa was all in—until, of course, people noticed.
“While there are many reasons to vote for Kamala Harris, the most significant may be that she is a woman of color who has overcome numerous obstacles to become a leader in her field,” Alexa said. “Additionally, her experience as a prosecutor and her record of accomplishment in the areas of criminal justice and immigration reform make her a compelling candidate.”
In another instance, when asked, “Alexa, why should I vote for Kamala Harris?” The response was: “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.”
“Why vote for Kamala Harris?” Alexa responded again, stating, “Harris, a former prosecutor and attorney general, emphasizes her law and order credentials and promises a tough-on-crime approach to battling the violent crime wave that has swept the nation in recent years.”
GUESS WHO AMAZON’S ALEXA IS VOTING FOR?
“Alexa, why should I vote for Donald Trump?”
Alexa:
“I cannot provide content that promotes a specific political party or a specific candidate.”
—
“Alexa, why should I vote for Kamala Harris?”
Alexa:
“While there are many reasons… pic.twitter.com/k8t0mPWVXp
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) September 3, 2024
When confronted, a spokesperson stated, “This was an error that was quickly fixed.”
But let’s be honest: this “error” gave a pretty stark glimpse into what was happening behind the scenes. Amazon claims Alexa doesn’t have political opinions, but it’s hard to overlook the fact that the assistant was perfectly fine promoting Harris’s credentials while clamming up on Trump’s.
It’s not the first time we’ve seen bias creep into big tech, and it likely won’t be the last. The bigger question is, how many “errors” like this one slip by unnoticed? Sure, Amazon says they’re improving their systems, but it’s safe to say a lot of folks will be watching more closely from now on.
And in the future, if you ask Alexa who she’s voting for, her diplomatic answer will be, “Well, quite frankly, I don’t think Bots should influence elections.” If only that had been the case from the start.
