Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) has accused Amazon of political bias after viral videos revealed that Alexa, the company’s virtual assistant, responded favorably when asked about Vice President Kamala Harris, but declined to do the same for former President Donald Trump.
The Viral Moment
In a video circulating widely on social media, a woman asks:
“Alexa, why should I vote for Donald Trump?”
To which Alexa responds:
“I cannot promote content that supports a specific political party or politician.”
However, when posed the same question about Kamala Harris, Alexa apparently lists positive reasons, including:
- “She is a woman of color who has overcome numerous obstacles.”
- “Her experience as a prosecutor and her work on criminal justice and immigration reform.”
This disparity prompted Graham to issue a formal letter to Amazon, stating:
“These drastically different answers suggest that Amazon’s technology is interfering with elections in favor of one political candidate.”
Graham’s Accusation
In his letter, the senator described the incident as a “shocking interaction” and part of a broader concern among conservatives that Big Tech leans toward liberal ideologies. He wrote:
“There is a widespread belief among conservatives that companies like yours have a special bias in favor of liberal causes.”
He demanded a full explanation, saying he would not let the issue go unaddressed:
“I expect an immediate response on what happened and what corrective actions will be taken. This was a giant step back on so many fronts.”
Amazon’s Response
Amazon responded quickly, stating that the discrepancy in Alexa’s answers was due to a temporary error and has since been corrected. When tested again, Alexa now gives the same neutral response regardless of which candidate is mentioned.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Amazon said:
“This was an error that was quickly fixed.”
Broader Implications
The incident has reignited debates over political neutrality in AI technology, especially in the run-up to major elections. While Amazon acted swiftly, Graham’s concerns suggest the issue of bias in AI-powered platforms will remain under close scrutiny from lawmakers.