Google Divides and Conquers: The Responsible AI Team Separation Saga
“Google Splits Up Its Responsible AI Team”
“No more avowed attempts to ensure ethical use of AI in Google’s image. The company has disbanded its week-old artificial intelligence ethics board in the face of controversy over several members’ views and past actions. An email to staffers announcing the change seemed to suggest ethical oversight would also be dropped from the company’s main AI team.”
To say that Google’s tryst with responsible AI innovation was short-lived would be an understatement. The tech giant’s take on ethical AI hardly saw the light of day before getting booted right back into the shadows, bringing with it a controversy that could well be straight out of a prime time talk show.
The star of this debacle? An elusive ethics board that according to Google, was intentionally set up to guide and supervise the company’s AI efforts. However, a week of inception wasn’t enough to keep the board afloat. At least, not amidst a turbulent wave of controversies surrounding its rather questionable choice of members.
When the email hit the inbox, one could only imagine the collective sigh echoing around Google’s cubicles. The ‘responsible innovation’ team hadn’t even finished picking out standing desks and ergonomic chairs when the higher-ups decided to drop ‘ethical oversight’ from their workload.
Yet amidst the turmoil, Google shared that its attempts at AI morality won’t go astray completely. But considering the tech giant’s rather illustrious track record of broken promises, one might wonder how reliable those words are. The crucial question remains: Can the tech behemoth actually succeed in navigating the choppy waters of AI ethics on its own?
The notion of technology companies spearheading ethical oversight of their own innovations isn’t new. Yet, one might wonder if keeping the watchdog within the mansion offers too great a temptation for the fox in the coop. And Google, despite its ‘don’t be evil’ mantra, seems far from immune.
As controversies loom and whispers of potential improprieties persist, the actions of Google and its attempts at AI ethics will continue to be under scrutiny. Perhaps the time, as many have suggested, is ripe to ponder if external oversight of AI is not just desirable, but essential. Only time will reveal the right course. But until then, the saga of Google’s wishy-washy approach to AI ethics continues to unfold. All eyes on decks, folks! This prime time soap isn’t quite over yet.