Google Orders Scientists To ‘Strike Positive Tone’ Over AI, Other Technologies | ZeroHedge
Google is demanding that its scientists ‘strike a positive tone’ when discussing artificial intelligence and other company technologies, according to Reuters.
The Alphabet Inc. subsidiary has launched a “sensitive topics” review procedure, which requires researchers to consult with legal, policy and public relations teams before researching topics such as “face and sentiment analysis and categorizations of race, gender or political affiliation,” according to internal documents explaining the policy.
“Advances in technology and the growing complexity of our external environment are increasingly leading to situations where seemingly inoffensive projects raise ethical, reputational, regulatory or legal issues,” reads one of the documents designed for research staff, which current employees said was rolled out in June.
The “sensitive topics” process adds a round of scrutiny to Google’s standard review of papers for pitfalls such as disclosing of trade secrets, eight current and former employees said.
For some projects, Google officials have intervened in later stages. A senior Google manager reviewing a study on content recommendation technology shortly before publication this summer told authors to “take great care to strike a positive tone,” according to internal correspondence read to Reuters.
The manager added, “This doesn’t mean we should hide from the real challenges” posed by the software. –Reuters
