Canadian musician Ashley MacIsaac had a show cancelled after Google AI incorrectly labelled him as a sex offender.
Juno-Award winning singer-songwriter, Ashley MacIsaac, had an upcoming concert that was cancelled by the venue after Google’s AI overview incorrectly labelled him as a sex offender.
The musician was set to play at Sipekne’katik First Nation in Nova Scotia, Canada, on December 19, however, he was informed that the show was called off after a Google AI summary wrongly asserted he had been convicted of numerous offences, including sexual assault.
The venue reportedly found the misinformation online, which MacIsaac speculates was about a man in Canada with the same name.
In an interview with The Canadian Press, MacIsaac revealed he believes he may have been defamed by the error and is potentially considering a lawsuit.
“If a lawyer wants to take this on (for free)…I would stand up because I’m not the first and I’m sure I won’t be the last,” he said.
“You are being put into a less secure situation because of a media company – that’s what defamation is,” he said. MacIsaac would further add that he is worried about a scenario where he might have been stopped trying to enter another country. “I could have been at a border and put in jail. So something has to be figured out as far as what the AI companies are responsible for…and what they can prevent.”
Google Canada spokesperson Wendy Manton would issue a statement, saying Google’s “AI overviews” are frequently changing to show what she would describe as the most “helpful” information. “When issues arise – like if our features misinterpret web content or miss some context – we use those examples to improve our systems, and may take action under our policies”.
The Sipekne-katik First Nation have also since apologised to MacIsaac, admitting the cancellation was based on incorrect information. “We deeply regret the harm this caused to your reputation and livelihood,” they said. “Chief and council value your artistry, contribution to the cultural life of the Maritimes, and your commitment to reconciliation.”
MacIsaac has admitted he is looking forward to rescheduling the event, but will need some time before returning.
“I don’t feel comfortable about going there right now because I don’t think the proper information can be disseminated within a week. It’s seen so many shares,” he said. “I didn’t want to bring any attention negatively to the community.”
According to the musician, he’s received several offers from law firms across Canada to take on MacIsaac’s case pro bono. MacIsaac would admit he’s considering his options in hopes of preventing others from experiencing something similar in the future.
“I’m telling you, this is not a nice place to be,” he said. “I’m sitting outside my grandmother’s going in for Christmas. This isn’t a conversation I want to have today – ‘Oh, yeah, somebody called me a sex offender.’”
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