Google told employees on Friday it ended its investigation into the dismissal of prominent AI researcher Timnit Gebru. The company did not want to say what the internal investigation found, but said it is making some changes in the way it deals with research-related issues, diversity and employee outflows.
Why is it important?: Gebru’s treatment, both before and after she was forced out of the company, has outraged people on Google’s artificial AI team and others inside and outside the company. Google’s handling of the matter has also raised questions about the company’s commitment to diversity and ethical hiring that is free to question the company’s actions.
Under its new policies, Google says:
- equalize the remuneration of the levels of vice-president and, above all, partly to the achievement of goals of inclusion and diversity.
- streamline their process for publishing research.
- increase its staff related to employee retention.
- enact new procedures around the exits of potentially sensitive employees.
“I understand that we could and should have handled this situation more sensitively,” Google AI chief Jeff Dean said Friday in a note obtained by Axios, outlining the changes. “And that’s why I’m sorry.”
I listened to and acknowledged what Dr. Gebru’s departure meant for women technologists, for those in the black community, and other underrepresented groups who are pursuing careers in technology, and for many who are deeply concerned about the responsible use of Google AI. It made some question their place here, which I’m sorry about.
– Google AI chief Jeff Dean, in an internal email on Friday
Gebru is a first-rate researcher in AI ethics and one of the most prominent black women in the field, and Google had often promoted her work as a way to highlight her commitment to the field of AI ethics. But the relationship had worsened as his research became critical of the company’s work, prompting his forced exit.
Between lines: None of these moves seem likely to stifle continued frustration over this issue, especially within Google’s intellectual AI team, whose members say continue to be blinded by the company’s movements.
- Earlier this week, Google appointed Marian Croak to lead the work of intellectual AI across the entire Google search organization. Croak is a longtime Google employee, a black woman and a prominent researcher, who has done pioneering work in the field of Internet voice manipulation; however, none of his work is directly related to ethical AI.
- Bloomberg News first reported his hiring Wednesday night, ahead of an announcement to staff the next day.
Meanwhile, one of Gebru’s colleagues, Margaret Mitchell, is still out of her corporate email. Google said last month that it was investigating why Mitchell downloaded a large number of files and shared them with people outside the company.
- According to a source, Mitchell had used automated scripts to examine his messages and find examples showing discriminatory treatment of Gebru before his account was blocked.
- The company declined Friday to offer an update on Mitchell’s status, but as of now she remains an employee of the company.
“Research leadership has talked about a big game about accountability,” said Alex Hanna, an ethical AI researcher he said in a tweet Thursday. “But there is no responsibility for everything that has happened over the last three months. The leaders of the investigation do not know the meaning of the word, as far as I am concerned.”