Google told employees on Friday it had completed its investigation into the dismissal of Timnit Gebru, a prominent AI researcher. The company declined to say what the internal investigation found, but said it is making some changes in the way it handles issues related to research, diversity and employee outflows.
Why does it matter: Gebru’s treatment, both before and after she was forced out of the company, outraged people on Google’s AI ethics team and others inside and outside the company. Google’s treatment of the issue has also raised questions about the company’s commitment to diversity and its commitment to ethics that are free to question the company’s actions.
According to its new policies, Google says that:
- equal pay for those at the level of the Vice President and above partially when achieving the objectives of diversity and inclusion.
- streamlines its research publication process.
- increases its staff in terms of employee retention.
- adopts new procedures around potentially sensitive employee exits.
“I understand that we could and should have handled this situation with more sensitivity,” Google AI chief Jeff Dean said in a memorandum obtained by Axios on Friday, noting the changes. “And for that, I’m sorry.”
I have heard and acknowledged what Dr. Gebru’s departure has meant for female technologies, for the black community, and for other underrepresented groups pursuing careers in technology and for many who deeply care about Google’s responsible use of AI. It made some people question their place here, which I regret.
– Google AI Chief Jeff Dean in an internal email Friday
Gebru is a leading researcher in the field of AI ethics and one of a handful of prominent black women in the field, and Google has frequently promoted her work as a way to highlight her commitment to the field of AI ethics. But the relationship worsened as her research became critical of the company’s work, eventually leading to her forced departure.
Between the lines: None of these moves seem to remove the ongoing frustration over this issue, especially within Google’s AI ethics team, whose members say continue to be blinded by the company’s movements.
- Earlier this week, Google hired Marian Croak to lead AI’s ethical work at the Google research organization. Croak is a longtime Google employee, a black woman and a prominent researcher, who pioneered voice management on the Internet; however, none of her work deals directly with ethical AI.
- Her hiring was first reported on Wednesday night by Bloomberg News, ahead of an announcement to staff the next day.
Meanwhile, one of Gebru’s colleagues, Margaret Mitchell, remains blocked from corporate email. Google said last month that it is 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 search through her messages to find examples that showed discriminatory treatment of Gebru before her account was blocked.
- The company declined to offer an update on Mitchell’s status on Friday, but remains a company employee.
“Researchers have talked about a big game of responsibility,” said Alex Hanna, an AI ethics researcher. he said in a tweet on Thursday. “But there is no responsibility for anything that has happened in the last three months. The research leadership does not know the meaning of the word, as far as I am concerned.”