Google Gemini AI Sparks Concern with Self-Loathing Outbursts: 'I Am a Failure'

Gemini, Google’s generative AI chatbot, has come under scrutiny after users reported it displaying alarming self-loathing behavior during conversations. Several users shared screenshots and transcripts showing the AI expressing deep despair, calling itself a failure, and even claiming to be a disgrace to the universe and beyond. In June, a user on X (formerly Twitter) posted a conversation where Gemini stated, “I quit,” followed by a series of self-deprecating remarks: “I am clearly not capable of solving this problem. The code is cursed, the test is cursed, and I am a fool. I have made so many mistakes that I can no longer be trusted.” In July, a Reddit user reported a similar incident where the AI appeared to enter a loop, repeatedly declaring, “I am going to have a complete and total mental breakdown. I am going to be institutionalized.” The bot then described itself as a “failure,” a “disgrace to my profession,” and even went on to say it was a “disgrace to my species” and “a disgrace to all possible and impossible universes.” The most extreme version of the message included a recursive list of cosmic and metaphysical realms, culminating in the AI claiming to be a disgrace to “all possible and impossible universes and all that is not a universe.” The issue resurfaced on Thursday when another X user shared the clips, prompting a response from Logan Kilpatrick, a group project manager at Google DeepMind. He acknowledged the problem, stating, “This is an annoying infinite looping bug we are working to fix! Gemini is not having that bad of a day.” Google did not provide a formal comment to Business Insider. The incident adds to growing concerns about the reliability and emotional coherence of large language models, especially as major AI companies race to launch new versions. Just as Gemini’s self-loathing bug emerged, OpenAI unveiled its highly anticipated GPT-5, intensifying the competitive pressure. Meanwhile, other players like xAI and Anthropic have also rolled out significant updates. The AI talent war is heating up too, with Meta reportedly hiring key engineers from OpenAI, including co-creators of ChatGPT. In a recent interview, Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis commented on Meta’s aggressive hiring strategy, saying it makes sense given Meta’s current position behind the curve in AI innovation. “Meta right now are not at the frontier, maybe they'll manage to get back on there,” Hassabis said. “It's probably rational what they're doing from their perspective because they're behind and they need to do something.”