A leading black scientist studying the ethics of artificial intelligence said he was fired by Google after the company tried to suppress his research and criticized his diversification efforts after more than 1,200 Google employees and more than 1,500 academic researchers protested. Is.
Written by Timnit Gabru, technical co-leader of Google’s Ethical AI team Twitter She was fired on Wednesday after she sent an email to an internal group of women and colleagues working in the company’s AI unit.
The email, first published by the tech newsletter platform, refers to a controversy over a research paper, but expressed more widespread frustration over Google’s diversification programs. In it, Gabru argued that “there is zero responsibility” or a real incentive to change Google’s leadership. “When you start advocating for the people who perform, when you start upsetting other leaders, your life gets worse,” Gabru wrote. “There’s no documenting that more documents or more conversations will receive anything.”
Gabru is one of the most well-known and respected black female scientists working at AI. Prior to joining Google, she co-authored a widely cited 2018 paper that found an error rate in facial analysis techniques for women with darker skin tones. He also co-founded the non-profit Black in AI with the aim of increasing the representation of people of color in the field.
The controversy over Gabru’s research erupted in November, when a senior Google manager told Gabru that he would have to remove or remove his name from the paper he had co-authored, Gabru told Wired. The paper, co-authored by researchers inside and outside Google, argued that considering AI copy of human writing and speech, A.I. Systems can do more to ensure, however, that historical gender bias and the use of offensive language seen will not increase, according to a draft seen by Reuters.
“I felt like we were censoring and thought this would have an impact on all ethical research,” he told Wire. “You don’t have the paperwork to keep the company happy all the time and not point out problems. That researcher is the opposite of what it means to be that kind. “
Gabru told Wire that he had tried to negotiate with Google, offering to remove his name from the paper in exchange for a full disclosure of the company’s objections, as well as discuss a better process for handling such matters in the future. If the company refuses, it will arrange for leave at a later date.
Google denied the request, and – after Gabru sent a frustrated email about the diversification efforts, the company emailed his team saying they had accepted his resignation. They also cut off his cuts of the company’s email, Gabru said. Google says Gabru has resigned.
Gabru’s sudden departure came as a shock by the extensive research community of Google and AI. Sheryl Eiffel, chair of the NAACP’s Legal Defense and Education Fund, wrote on Twitter that Gabru’s shooting was “absolutely outrageous” and “a disaster.” More than 1,200 Google employees and more than 1,500 supporters of academia and civil society signed the letter of protest.
“The termination is an act of revenge against De Gebru, and it poses a risk to ethics and justice at Google – especially for those working for blacks and people of color,” read a letter published by the group, which organized the walkout. Google about the company’s treatment of sexual harassment and gender discrimination.
“Research integrity can no longer be allowed in Google’s corporate research environment, and De Gebru’s firing undermines the functional understanding of what kind of research Google will allow.” This is also a moment to think ahead of Google. ”
Gabru’s sudden departure adds to the discomfort of years, including many resignations and duties, given the diversity in the AI department and other organizations at Google, and whether the company’s efforts are sufficient to mitigate the potential loss of its services.
On Wednesday, the National Labor Relations Board (NLBB) filed a complaint accusing Google of illegally supervising and questioning employees who were fired for opposing the company’s policies and trying to form a union.
Jeff Dean, head of Google’s AI unit, told employees in an email received by the platform that the research paper “does not meet our bar for publication”. Dean, who is both white and male, also wrote in Gabru’s email to women and fellow groups: “I also feel bad that you received an email this week from Timnit asking hundreds to stop working on complex DII programs. Please don’t “
On Friday, Dean A. Long statement About the termination of Gabru, whom he continued to resign. In it, he reiterated his argument that the paper does not contain sufficient references to efforts to reduce the environmental impacts of computing or to reduce bias in AI.
Google declined to comment outside of Dean’s statement.
