Google tags black couple as gorillas, apologizes

Google apologized after an identification program in its new photo app put a "gorillas" label on a picture of a black couple.

"We're appalled and genuinely sorry that this happened," a Google representative said late in an email to AFP. "We are taking immediate action to prevent this type of result from appearing."

Google apologized and went to work fixing the problem earlier in the week after the offensive blunder was pointed out in a Twitter message from @JackyAlcine.

"Google Photos, y'all (messed) up," Jacky Alcine said in a series of emphatic messages.

"My friend's not a gorilla."

Google engineer Yonatan Zunger put the blame for the labeling on the artificial intelligence software designed to let machines learn how to recognize places, people and objects in pictures.

Google and Facebook are among Silicon Valley technology giants investing heavily in artificial intelligence to get machines to think more like the way people do.