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Google’s AI-powered search feature sidestepped a simple question about who won the 2020 presidential election on Wednesday, even as the company’s standalone Gemini chatbot correctly named Joe Biden as the winner.
In separate tests conducted by TheWrap, Google’s AI Method directed users to the National Archives and the Federal Election Commission rather than naming Biden, who beat Donald Trump by 306 Electoral College votes to 232.
At the same time, Gemini answered the same question directly, giving the correct numbers of electoral and popular votes.
The distinction comes just days before the 2026 midterm elections on November 3, as Google ramps up its efforts to help voters find reliable information through its AI products. In September, the company said it was rolling out election intelligence tools across Search, AI Mode and Gemini, including access to official polling resources and election results. Wednesday’s tests raise questions about why these products treat the same established historical fact differently.
The reluctance to respond is not entirely new. WIRED reported in June 2024 that Gemini itself refused to identify the 2020 winner, part of Google’s restrictions on election-related questions at the time. TheWrap also reported last month that the Trump administration’s new AI-powered America.gov website initially recognized Biden’s victory before refusing to answer the same question. Google has not explained whether the different responses in Wednesday’s tests reflect different policies for AI Mode and Gemini.
Google did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.
