Microsoft has reportedly cut its team focused on artificial intelligence (AI) ethics, according to a new report. The move comes as the tech giant is under increasing pressure from lawmakers and activists to address ethical issues related to AI technology.
The news was first reported by Bloomberg, which cited anonymous sources familiar with the matter. According to the report, Microsoft disbanded its “ethics and effects in engineering and research” (E2ER) group last month after it had been operating for just over two years. The team was responsible for developing guidelines around how Microsoft should use AI responsibly and ethically.
The E2ER team was led by former Microsoft executive Kate Crawford, who left her role at the company earlier this year after leading the group since 2018. She had previously worked at Google before joining Microsoft in 2017 as part of a push towards greater transparency around AI development within the company.
In response to questions about why it decided to disband the E2ER team, a spokesperson for Microsoft said that “the work of our teams continues across all areas of our business” but did not provide any further details on what happened or why they made this decision now.
This news comes amid growing concerns about how companies are using AI technology and whether they are taking adequate steps to ensure that their products do not cause harm or violate people’s rights when used in certain contexts. In recent months, there have been several high-profile cases where companies have come under fire for their use of facial recognition software or other forms of automated decision making without proper oversight or accountability measures in place.
As such, many experts believe that having an internal ethics board dedicated solely to addressing these issues is essential if companies want to remain competitive while also ensuring that their products are safe and compliant with applicable laws and regulations regarding data privacy and security standards . This makes it even more concerning that Microsoft appears willing to abandon such an important initiative so soon after launching it only two years ago – especially given its size as one of the world’s largest tech firms with significant resources available for such projects .
While we may never know exactly why Microsoft chose now as an opportune time for disbanding its E2ER team , one thing is clear: Companies must take responsibility when creating technologies like AI which can potentially impact millions of lives worldwide . It is therefore imperative that organizations prioritize ethical considerations during product design processes , establish robust governance structures , develop transparent policies around data usage , invest in training staff members on relevant topics , create effective feedback loops between stakeholders ,and continuously monitor compliance with industry standards . Without these safeguards in place , businesses risk facing serious legal repercussions down the line due both public outcry over unethical practices as well as government investigations into potential violations .
CNET
