Google on Friday fired a leading AI researcher, the second high-level departure to shine an unwelcome spotlight on managing sensitive issues of artificial intelligence and wider internal dissatisfaction with race and diversity.
The internet group said Margaret Mitchell, who was co-head of its AI ethics group, had been fired for ‘multiple violations of our code of conduct’ and safety policy. This included the “filtering out of confidential business-sensitive documents and private data of other employees”, the statement said.
The move comes two months after the departure of Timnit Gebru, the other head of the ethics group, which was set up to lead research into new techniques to ensure that AI’s technology is used in a fair and unbiased way.
Gebru said she was fired after the company blocked the publication of a research article she compiled about the possible bias in language AI systems such as those used by Google, while the company said it chose to leave .
Gebru’s departure has also highlighted the ongoing dissatisfaction within Google over the handling of racial and gender diversity issues.
In a letter published within the company during the departure of Gebru and later publicly released, Mitchell claims the dispute stems from abuse of her fellow researcher.
“The shooting seems to be fueled by the same underpinnings of racism and sexism that are taking our AI systems into the wrong hands,” she said.
She added that Gebru “refused to subject herself to a system that required her to diminish her integrity as a researcher and degrade her fellow researchers”.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai apologized internally for the loss of Gebru and promised an internal review.
“We must take responsibility for the fact that a prominent black, female leader with tremendous talent has sadly left Google,” he wrote in an email to staff. “This loss has had a ripple effect on some of our least represented communities, who have seen themselves and some of their experiences in Dr Gebru.”