Google widely criticized after parting ways with Timnit Gebru, a leading voice in AI ethics

CNN Business — Many Google employees and others in the tech and academic communities are furious over the sudden exit from Google of a pioneer in the study of ethics in artificial intelligence—a departure they see as a failure by an industry titan to foster an environment supportive of diversity. The research paper in question Gebru, who joined Google in late 2018, told CNN Business that the research paper in question was about the dangers of large language models — a growing trend in AI with the release of increasingly capable systems that can create impressively human-sounding text like recipes, poetry, and even news articles. In an email sent to Google Research employees on Thursday that he posted publicly on Friday, Jeff Dean, Google’s head of AI, told employees his perspective: that Gebru coauthored a paper but didn’t give the company the required two weeks to review it before its deadline. The paper was reviewed internally, he wrote, but it “didn’t meet our bar for publication.” Dean added: “Unfortunately, this particular paper was only shared with a day’s notice before its deadline — we require two weeks for this sort of review — and then instead of awaiting reviewer feedback, it was approved for submission and submitted.” He said Gebru responded with demands that had to be met if she were to remain at Google. He also explained some of the company’s research and review process and said he will be speaking with Google’s research teams, including those on the ethical AI team “so they know that we strongly support these important streams of research.” A quick show of support Just after Gebru’s initial tweet on Wednesday, coworkers and others quickly shared support for her online, including Margaret Mitchell, who had been Gebru’s co-team leader at Google.