Discussion

• @mmitchell_ai MMitchell on x

  I'm fired.

• @dinabass Dina Bass on x

  And now @mmitchell_ai has tweeted that she's been fired. So Google apologized for the impact of @timnitGebru's firing and hours later fires her former co-lead of Ethical AI research? What impact is that supposed to have on employees?

• @zoeschiffer Zo Schiffer on x

  Google has fired Margaret Mitchell who led the ethical AI team alongside Timnit Gebru. Mitchell had been using an automated script to look through her emails & find evidence of discrimination against Gebru: https://twitter.com/...

• @inafried Ina Fried on x

  Mitchell had been locked out of corporate e-mail since last month after what Google said was an apparent misuse of systems and a source said was her effort to search for evidence to back up claims of harassment and discrimination by @timnitGebru https://www.axios.com/...

• @daiwaka Daisuke Wakabayashi on x

  I really can't think of how Google could have handled this thing worse. They've let it drag on for weeks with a drip, drip, drip of ugly headlines. In the end, they've gutted the leadership of their AI ethics team — which is, to put it generously, worrying. https://twitter.com/..…

• @aweiss Aaron Weiss on x

  In the annals of tone-deaf HR and PR moves, @JeffDean promising to do better after firing @timnitGebru then turning around and firing @mmitchell_ai THE VERY SAME DAY has got to set some sort of record. https://www.bloomberg.com/... https://twitter.com/...

• @azeem Azeem Azhar on x

  The village was destroyed in order to save it https://twitter.com/...

• @gadgetlab @gadgetlab on x

  Margaret Mitchell was the co-leader of a group investigating ethics in AI, alongside Timnit Gebru, who said she was fired in December. https://www.wired.com/...

• @wired @wired on x

  For the second time in three months, Google has fired a prominent woman researcher on ethics in artificial intelligence. Following Timnit Gebru's departure in December, Margaret Mitchell says she has been fired from the company's AI lab, Google Brain https://www.wired.com/...

• @timnitgebru Timnit Gebru on x

  Let me make it clear. People have been falling over themselves to recruit Meg and she will thrive, whatever she does next, wherever. Its about how trash they are though and what they continue to do to people with IMPUNITY. https://twitter.com/...

• @jsnell Jason Snell on x

  TFW your Friday afternoon news dump non-apology about your previous messed-up AI ethics firing gets in the way of your Friday afternoon news dump about your latest messed-up AI ethics firing https://twitter.com/...

• @lizthegrey Liz Fong-Jones on x

  Google couldn't have handled this more stupidly. (1) drag it out across weeks, (2) do the exact action to revoke access that makes clear why someone would want to preserve evidence off-corp, (3) fail entirely to rebut the intent/motive of opposing unlawful employment practice

• @nitashatiku Nitasha Tiku on x

  📢 “How can you still ask why there aren't Black women in this industry?” @timnitGebru https://twitter.com/...

• @devindra Devindra Hardawar on x

  Google on a Friday evening: “Being evil is good, actually” https://twitter.com/...

• @kimcrayton1 @kimcrayton1 on x

  This is a great example why I've shifted from causing a scene, on Twitter at least...we need alternative paths because this CANNOT be the default experience for the next generation of technologists from marginalized communities https://twitter.com/...

• @timnitgebru Timnit Gebru on x

  To be fair, you can continue to fire women and POC and continue to apologize for how it makes people feel. Oh oops I did that again? I'm sorry it made you feel that way. https://twitter.com/...

• @shannoncoulter Shannon Coulter on x

  Google continues its crackdown on employee dissent, particularly from women. https://twitter.com/...

• @scottthurm Scott Thurm on x

  Timnit Gebru's former co-head of Google's Ethics #AI group says she too has been fired. https://www.wired.com/... via @tsimonite

• @dinabass Dina Bass on x

  Dean did not apologize to Gebru in the email. The memo also discusses new review processes for AI research to deal particularly with sensitive work. He does not address the issue raised by Gebru's treatment as to if Google ethics researchers can scrutinize the co's own products.

• @timnitgebru Timnit Gebru on x

  The desired one. Terrorize and suppress the voices of employees from marginalized communities. https://twitter.com/...

• @jamesrbuk James Ball on x

  The Google ethical AI research situation keeps getting messier. https://twitter.com/...

• @timnitgebru Timnit Gebru on x

  I expected nothing more obviously. I write an email asking for things, I get fired, and then after a 3 month investigation, they say they should probably do some of the things I presumably got fired asking for, without holding anyone accountable for their actions. 1/ https://twit…

• @inafried Ina Fried on x

  New: Google concludes investigation of its handling of @timnitGebru. Doesn't announce findings but makes a few policy changes. Margaret Mitchell still locked out of corporate email but remains google employee. New @JeffDean memo. https://www.axios.com/...

• @dinabass Dina Bass on x

  As per previous by @inafried Google's Jeff Dean has apologized for the way @timnitGebru's dismissal was handled in terms of how it made women/underrepresented groups feel and co is adding diversity goals to exec performance reviews: https://www.bloomberg.com/... with @NicoAGrant

• @alexhanna Dr. Alex Hanna on x

  It turns out the Ethical AI team was the last to know about a massive reorganization, which was prompted by our advocacy. This was not communicated with us at all, despite promises that it would be. https://www.bloomberg.com/...

• @timnitgebru Timnit Gebru on x

  “It led some to question their place here, which I regret.” More nonapologies. They are experts on this. Email also hints towards more research censorship. A big win for ethics (not). I imagine many researchers will leave with other companies taking advantage. Congrats. 3/

• @timnitgebru Timnit Gebru on x

  “increase its staff related to employee retention.” Yea? When the HR, Legal and VPs conspire to fire someone like that what would “more staff for employee retention” do? What power do they have? There is ZERO accountability. ZERO.

• @kimcrayton1 @kimcrayton1 on x

  We have to do better job as a technology community We cannot continue to create products/services that disproportionately harm marginalized voices by replicating society's commitment to white supremacy and anti-Blackness https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...

• @mmitchell_ai MMitchell on x

  ...And this is how I find out. I'm so glad for all the trust they've rebuilt. It seems I've been completely erased and my team taken. https://www.bloomberg.com/...

• @aaschapiro Avi Asher-Schapiro on x

  Here's a sentence: “Google told employees Friday it has wrapped up its investigation into the ouster of prominent AI researcher Timnit Gebru. The company declined to say what the internal inquiry found....” https://www.axios.com/...

• @stephentyrone Steve Canon on x

  Leaving aside the main issue, this whole affair is so utterly bizarre from a corporate communications perspective. What is Google trying to accomplish? Do they even know? https://twitter.com/...

• @timnitgebru Timnit Gebru on x

  Excellent. Once again @JeffDean does this without consulting her manager Samy Bengio. Can't wait for the next time he talks about ethics & responsible AI. And for Marian Croak's legacy to be this. I have to thank all of them for getting me out of this horrible place. https://twit…

• @dlowd Daniel Lowd on x

  TL;DR: Jeff Dean is sorry you feel that way. https://twitter.com/...

• @timnitgebru Timnit Gebru on x

  “I'm sorry for how it made you feel.” https://twitter.com/...

• @anna_c_kramer Anna Kramer on x

  Google ended its investigation into the firing of @timnitGebru today, and Jeff Dean's email to staff used the word “sensitive” no less than six times as a sort of euphemism for “controversial.” https://www.protocol.com/...

• @timnitgebru Timnit Gebru on x

  Oh no Angela its in your head. I regret how that makes you feel. Those emails you got threatening you and your spouse? I'm sorry how that made you feel too. https://twitter.com/...

• @timnitgebru Timnit Gebru on x

  But writing this email and then doing what they did in the afternoon. I know they don't give a damn as someone else said this must be some sort of record. https://twitter.com/...

• @shanavwhite Shana V. White on x

  Hey #CSed we still need to be in the loop on this.....continue to pay attention. https://twitter.com/...

• @azeem Azeem Azhar on x

  Google will double HR resources for retention but not double resources targeting poor judgment on the part of senior execs? https://www.bloomberg.com/...

• @timnitgebru Timnit Gebru on x

  The more I think of this, with the length of this so called investigation, the timing of the new re-org, what they're doing to Meg, the team etc, this whole thing was probably to stall for time to quiet down the news cycle. It took 3 months to get to this? https://twitter.com/...

• @ohthatflo @ohthatflo on x

  FYI this is happening concurrently to several other tech workers at different companies. They ask for a change, something the company already markets as a thing they do ("We're diverse and inclusive!!! We pay you like a man!!!"). Then they get fired or are asked to leave. https:/…

• @kimcrayton1 @kimcrayton1 on x

  Once again, a mediocre, unremarkable, white dude in tech is enabled, instead of facing the consequences of being unable to manage his fuckin feelings We all knew that he'd get to play the hero/victim and not the villain because y'all should know by now how to Spot The Pattern htt…

• @timnitgebru Timnit Gebru on x

  They're still doing what they're doing to my team, my co-lead's been locked out for 5 weeks. They timed a re-org announcement RIGHT BEFORE this. There's no connection right? But 3 months later they obviously can't hold anyone with any real power accountable. Thats impossible 2/

• @timnitgebru Timnit Gebru on x

  I wish the diversity numbers would be granularly disaggregated by roles so that ppl see how bad they are when they're released. So that they'd know just how bad they are in the research org—even worse, way worse than the rest of the company. Hopefully no one will ask why. https:/…

• @axios @axios on x

  Google told employees today it has wrapped up its investigation into the ouster of prominent AI researcher Timnit Gebru. The company said it is making some changes to how it handles issues around research, diversity and employee exits. https://www.axios.com/...

• @timnitgebru Timnit Gebru on x

  “Part of the new process will include a review and outline of the kinds of research the company believes it should be conducting.” Interesting how they fire me after I ask what the parameters of the research I can do at Google are. What they're announcing is more censorship. http…

• @histoftech Mar Hicks on x

  What is going on within Google's management re: ethics and AI is so completely fucked up. TL;DR: after pushing out @timnitGebru it appears the company is slashing and burning the rest of the ethical AI team so it is no longer a force for ethical AI in the corporation. https://twi…

• @inafried Ina Fried on x

  .@timnitGebru responding to Google concluding it's investigation. https://twitter.com/...

• @shannonvallor Shannon Vallor on x

  These changes— like tying exec pay to meeting DI objectives, or staffing for retention — would never have occurred without someone like Timnit pushing as hard as she pushed. But who gets credit for these improvements? Not her, she gets fired. For the pushing. https://twitter.com/…

• @inafried Ina Fried on x

  Between the lines: None of these moves seem likely to quell the continued frustration over this matter, especially within Google's Ethical AI team, members of whom says they continue to be blindsided by the company's moves. https://www.axios.com/...

• @inafried Ina Fried on x

  Changes: tying exec pay companywide to diversity and inclusion goals, streamlining of research publishing practices, more investments in retention and HR people to handle controversial exits. https://www.axios.com/...

• @tsimonite Tom Simonite on x

  Exec drafted to oversee “responsible AI” at Google in the wake of the Timnit Gebru scandal says she wants to “galvanize the unique talent we have...and consolidate them in a way that there's synergistic unification of their talents.” https://blog.google/...

• @pmddomingos Pedro Domingos on x

  Good luck to Marian Croak in her new job as Google's head of responsible AI. (She'll need it.) https://blog.google/...

• @timnitgebru Timnit Gebru on x

  They've been working on this trust for a long time it seems. Mind you Meg is still locked out. Our team is working on their performance reviews under this condition, after being terrorized and harassed, their lead locked out and now re-org. And the face of it is a Black woman. ht…

• @timnitgebru Timnit Gebru on x

  You see they fired your prior manager and said something about expectations of her “as a manager” and then locked out your other manager. What we were doing to create a safe space for you was very unbecoming of a Google manager. This is the norm. Also don't forget diplomacy https…

• @timnitgebru Timnit Gebru on x

  You know I'm starting to think that this was probably what they had in mind from day 1. Starting with the gaslighting session of Black Googlers by Megan & Jeff hosted by Marian Croak. I wouldn't be surprised if Kent Walker was involved in this strategy too. 1/2 https://twitter.co…

• @timnitgebru Timnit Gebru on x

  I will have a lot more to say about this later. But announcing a new org by a Black woman as if we're all interchangeable while harassing, terrorizing and gaslighting my team and doing absolutely ZERO to acknowledge & redress the harm that's been done is beyond gaslighting. https…

• @tsimonite Tom Simonite on x

  She is also planning “a critical assessment of all the AI systems that are deployed and currently being designed...to mitigate...potential harms that exist.” Which seems like something a company serious about responsible AI would have started already https://twitter.com/...

• @timnitgebru Timnit Gebru on x

  Is anyone falling for the timing? While terrorizing and harassing the Ethical AI team, announce a re-org of Responsible AI with a Black woman on top? My biggest disappointment is with Marian Croak legitimizing this. Starting with hosting Megan & Jeff's gaslighting session. https:…

• @nicoagrant Nico Grant on x

  Scoop: Google to reorganize its responsible AI teams under Marian Croak, a prominent Black executive, after months of chaos stemming from the departure of @timnitGebru. Story with the great @dinabass https://www.bloomberg.com/...