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Google CEO pledges to investigate exit of top AI ethicist

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Google CEO Sundar Pichai. Photo: Carsten Koall/Getty ImagesGoogle CEO Sundar Pichai apologized Wednesday for the company's handling of the and said he would investigate the events and work to restore trust, according to an internal memo sent companywide and obtained by Axios.Why it matters: Gebru's exit has provoked anger and consternation within Google as well as in academic circles, with thousands of people signing an urging Google to reexamine its practices.In the note, Pichai acknowledged the depth of the damage done by the company's actions and said the company would look at all aspects of the situation, but stopped short of saying the company made a mistake in removing Gebru."I’ve heard the reaction to Dr. Gebru’s departure loud and clear: it seeded doubts and led some in our community to question their place at Google," Pichai said in the memo. " I want to say how sorry I am for that, and I accept the responsibility of working to restore your trust."Catch up quick: Our thought bubble: While Pichai's memo strikes a contrite tone, it's unclear how far it will go to addressing the significant upset within Google's ranks, especially among those concerned with its commitments to diversity and academic freedom.What they're saying: Responding on Twitter, Gebru and others dismissed the memo as not addressing the core issues around her ouster and failing to take responsibility for the active steps taken by the company and its executives to create the situation.Go deeper: Here's Pichai's full memo:To: Subject: Committing to our work on racial equity and AI ethicsHi everyone,One of the things I’ve been most proud of this year is how Googlers from across the company came together to address our racial equity commitments. It’s hard, important work, and while we’re steadfast in our commitment to do better, we have a lot to learn and improve. An important piece of this is learning from our experiences like the departure of Dr. Timnit Gebru.I’ve heard the reaction to Dr. Gebru’s departure loud and clear: it seeded doubts and led some in our community to question their place at Google. I want to say how sorry I am for that, and I accept the responsibility of working to restore your trust.First - we need to assess the circumstances that led up to Dr. Gebru’s departure, examining where we could have improved and led a more respectful process. We will begin a review of what happened to identify all the points where we can learn -- considering everything from de-escalation strategies to new processes we can put in place. Jeff and I have spoken and are fully committed to doing this. One of the best aspects of Google’s engineering culture is our sincere desire to understand where things go wrong and how we can improve.&nbsp;&nbsp;Second - we need to accept responsibility for the fact that a prominent Black, female leader with immense talent left Google unhappily. This loss has had a ripple effect through some of our least represented communities, who saw themselves and some of their experiences reflected in Dr. Gebru’s. It was also keenly felt because Dr. Gebru is an expert in an important area of AI Ethics that we must continue to make progress on -- progress that depends on our ability to ask ourselves challenging questions.&nbsp;It’s incredibly important to me that our Black, women, and underrepresented Googlers know that we value you and you do belong at Google. And the burden of pushing us to do better should not fall on your shoulders. We started a conversation together earlier this year when we a broad set of racial equity commitments to take a fresh look at all of our systems from hiring and leveling, to promotion and retention, and to address the need for leadership accountability across all of these steps. The events of the last week are a painful but important reminder of the progress we still need to make.This is a top priority for me and Google leads, and I want to recommit to translating the energy that we’ve seen this year into real change as we move forward into 2021 and beyond.&nbsp;-- Sundar Google informed its advertising partners on Wednesday that beginning Dec. 10, it will lift the post-election political ad ban that went into effect after polls closed on Nov. 3, according to an email obtained by Axios.The big picture: The lift comes about a month ahead of two crucial Georgia runoff races that will determine control of the Senate.This channel features content produced by the Axios Brand Studio and Google.Welcome to this recap&nbsp;of conversations from Google’s Powering Economic Opportunity: Digital Skills for the Future Workforce Expert Voices Live event.This channel features content produced by the Axios Brand Studio and Google.Welcome to this Axios-style Smart Brevity recap&nbsp;of conversations from Google’s Small Business Matters: The Digital Safety Net Expert’s Voice Live event.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai. Photo: Carsten Koall/Getty ImagesGoogle CEO Sundar Pichai apologized Wednesday for the company's handling of the and said he would investigate the events and work to restore trust, according to an internal memo sent companywide and obtained by Axios.Why it matters: Gebru's exit has provoked anger and consternation within Google as well as in academic circles, with thousands of people signing an urging Google to reexamine its practices.In the note, Pichai acknowledged the depth of the damage done by the company's actions and said the company would look at all...

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Ina is the chief technology correspondent at Axios. She authors the daily Axios Login newsletter and brings years of Silicon Valley experience to offer a smart take on tech.

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Google CEO pledges to investigate exit of top AI ethicist

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