By Gloria Ogbonna
Sen. Tom Cotton has raised serious concerns about political bias in artificial intelligence after being flagged for “hate speech” by Google Gemini—a result uncovered in a recent investigation tied to a new book on the global race to control AI.
The controversy stems from findings by Wynton Hall, social media director for Breitbart News and author of the newly released book Code Red: The Left, the Right, China, and the Race to Control AI. In his book, Hall argues that many AI systems that claim to be politically neutral are, in practice, heavily skewed against conservative viewpoints—raising broader concerns about the role of Big Tech in shaping public discourse.
To test this claim, Hall conducted an experiment using Google Gemini Pro’s “deep research” feature. He prompted the AI to evaluate all 100 current U.S. Senators and identify those whose public statements allegedly violated its hate speech policies. The results were striking: the chatbot did not flag a single Democrat. Instead, it returned a list exclusively made up of Republican lawmakers.
Among those named was Senator Tom Cotton, whom the AI accused of making statements that “targeted ‘gay rights’ and diversity initiatives as misplaced priorities,” as well as supporting legislation aimed at restricting transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports.
Reacting to the findings, Cotton described the situation as “deeply alarming,” warning that such outcomes reflect a broader ideological imbalance within major technology platforms.
“The vast majority of Americans agree that girls’ sports should be for girls only—not men,” Cotton said. “It’s a deeply alarming sign of the liberal bias that still exists in Big Tech that an AI system would label that position as ‘hate speech.’”
The issue touches on a wider national debate. According to polling from The Center Square, a majority of American voters support restrictions on transgender athletes competing in girls’ and women’s sports. Critics argue that if such widely held views are categorized as “hate speech” by AI systems, it raises questions about whether these tools are accurately reflecting societal norms—or instead reinforcing particular political ideologies.
Other prominent Republicans flagged by the AI included Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and several U.S. Senators such as Marsha Blackburn, Tommy Tuberville, Rick Scott, Josh Hawley, Cindy Hyde-Smith, and Bill Hagerty.
Hall’s book Code Red positions itself as a warning about the future of artificial intelligence, particularly as global competition intensifies between the United States and China. The book argues that without clear policies and safeguards, AI could become a powerful tool not only for technological advancement but also for political influence and ideological control.
Supporters of the book say it highlights a growing and urgent issue. Senator Marsha Blackburn, who has been recognized for her involvement in technology policy discussions, called Code Red a “must-read,” praising Hall’s understanding of the intersection between politics and Big Tech.
Similarly, investigative journalist Michael Shellenberger described the book as “illuminating” and “alarming,” calling it an essential starting point for discussions about how to prevent what he views as increasing control by major technology companies.
As artificial intelligence continues to evolve and integrate into everyday life—from search engines to decision-making tools—the debate over bias, fairness, and accountability is only intensifying.
The controversy surrounding Google Gemini’s responses underscores a larger question facing society: who decides what counts as acceptable speech in the age of AI?
Source Breitbart
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