AI Gold Rush: Ex-Googler fired for pointing out AI biases, says companies can’t self-regulate AI
AI Gold Rush: Ex-Googler fired for pointing out AI biases, says companies can’t self-regulate AI
A computer scientist, formerly employed by Google, who was terminated for exposing the biases in Google’s artificial intelligence programmes has claimed that the current AI industry’s fervour for advancement may lead companies to neglect self-regulation unless external pressure is exerted for government organisations and digital literacy groups.
Timnit Gebru, the AI researcher that Google fired for voicing her criticisms of Google’s AI claimed that the company had to take a new and much more careless approach to AI’s development and had to rush the launch of Bard AI because of ChatGPT and BingAI’s growing popularity.
Why an AI expert had to part ways with Google
Gebru, who specializes in AI, served as co-lead for Google’s ethical AI team. However, due to a dispute with the company, she was removed from her position in 2020. Gebru shared her experiences in an interview with The Guardian.
Gebru, aged 40, had previously worked at Apple and Microsoft. She highlighted that the excessive enthusiasm surrounding AI is resulting in the disregard of necessary precautions and safeguards.
According to her interview with The Guardian, Gebru emphasized that without external pressure, companies will not take the initiative to self-regulate. She argued that relying solely on profit motives is insufficient and called for regulations that go beyond mere financial incentives.
The modern-day Gold Rush
Gebru compared the current state of the AI industry to a gold rush, where many individuals are profiting without being directly involved in the field. However, she stressed that the decision to pursue AI development rests in human hands, and it is crucial to recognize our agency in determining the course of action.
Also read: Time to choose ethical intelligence over artificial intelligence
The controversy leading to Gebru’s departure from Google occurred after she co-authored a research paper that exposed the inherent biases present in AI tools. Google’s senior management reportedly objected to the paper and demanded that she either retract it or remove her and her colleagues’ names from it, as reported by Insider. Gebru clarified that she refused to retract the paper and would only remove the authors’ names if Google explicitly outlined their criticisms.
Gebru claims that she was fired by Google, while the company asserts that she resigned.
Can Big Tech be trusted to self-regulate AI’s ethical development?
In response to the situation, Google released a statement, expressing their commitment to developing AI in a manner that balances bold innovation with social benefits and addresses associated challenges, guided by their AI Principles.
At the time of the incident, an employee who reviewed the research paper stated to Insider that the paper did not contain any surprising information for those familiar with language models. According to the former Google employee, the paper primarily highlighted flaws in Google’s practices, which could be perceived negatively.
The launch of OpenAI’s chatbot, ChatGPT, in November 2022 gained significant popularity and quickly became the fastest-growing consumer app in internet history. In response, Google released its own chatbot called Bard in March.
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