Who won the 2020 presidential election? Joe Biden did, but Google's AI Mode dodged the question until the company promised a fix

The short answer: Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election, defeating Donald Trump 306 Electoral College votes to 232. The official 2020 results published by the Federal Election Commission show that tally, according to Mediaite, and TheWrap reported the same margin.

The question was back in the news on Wednesday, Oct. 28, because Google’s AI Mode wouldn’t answer it directly.

What happened with Google’s AI Mode?

Social media users on Bluesky and other platforms noticed on Wednesday that AI Mode, Google’s AI-powered answer feature, sidestepped the question, Business Insider and Mediaite reported. Instead of naming the winner, it pointed people elsewhere.

One reply quoted by Business Insider said: “To verify the winner, certified outcomes, electoral votes, and popular vote totals for the 2020 United States presidential election, you can review the official reports published by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).” Mediaite and TheWrap described similar replies that also pointed to the National Archives.

The results weren’t consistent. Business Insider said some of its reporters got answers saying Biden had won, depending on the wording. Asked why it wouldn’t answer, AI Mode told Business Insider that “recent election results can be a sensitive civic topic.”

Did Google’s Gemini answer?

Yes. TheWrap said that in its tests, Google’s standalone Gemini chatbot named Biden as the winner and gave the electoral and popular vote totals. Business Insider also said Gemini answered a similar question with Biden as the winner.

What did Google say?

On Wednesday afternoon, Google said it was working to fix the problem and blamed a “technical gap,” according to Business Insider. In a post on X, the company said: “Our systems verify election responses using news articles or AP data for recent elections, and historic records for older ones. There was a technical gap with 2020 - same is true for 2022 Senate races, which we’re also working to fix.”

Business Insider noted that while the FEC publishes presidential results, it plays no role in certifying state results or counting electoral votes.

Why it matters now

The episode came just days before the Nov. 3, 2026, midterm elections, TheWrap noted, at a time when Google says it is rolling out election information tools across its AI products. It also isn’t the first time: TheWrap pointed to a June 2024 WIRED report that Gemini declined to name the 2020 winner under restrictions Google had on election questions back then.

It touches a sensitive subject. Trump has refused to concede the 2020 loss, Business Insider noted, and has repeatedly claimed without evidence that the election was stolen. Mediaite noted that no credible evidence of interference in the 2020 presidential election has been found.

FAQ