Black and Queer AI Groups Say They’ll Spurn Google Funding

In a joint statement launched Monday, Black in AI, Queer in AI, and Widening NLP said they acted to protest Googles treatment of its former ethical AI group leaders Timnit Gebru and Margaret Mitchell, as well as previous recruiter April Christina Curley, a Black queer woman.”In the declaration, the groups back calls made in March by present and former Google workers for scholastic conferences to reject Google financing and for policymakers to enact stronger whistleblower protections for AI researchers.This is the first time in the brief history of each of the three organizations that they have actually turned down funding from a sponsor.Mondays statement marks the newest fallout in response to Googles treatment of Black people and women and accusations of interference in research study papers about AI slated for publication at academic conferences.In March, organizers of the Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency (FAccT) conference turned down Google financing, and researcher Luke Stark turned down $60,000 in Google funding.”Black in AI cofounder Rediet Abebe, who will become the first Black lady faculty member at the University of California Berkeleys department of electrical engineering and computer system science, committed last year to not taking money from Google to decrease the companys sway over AI research.

In a joint statement released Monday, Black in AI, Queer in AI, and Widening NLP stated they acted to protest Googles treatment of its former ethical AI group leaders Timnit Gebru and Margaret Mitchell, as well as previous recruiter April Christina Curley, a Black queer female.”In the declaration, the groups back calls made in March by former and current Google staff members for scholastic conferences to reject Google funding and for policymakers to enact more powerful whistleblower protections for AI researchers.This is the very first time in the short history of each of the three organizations that they have actually turned down financing from a sponsor.Mondays statement marks the latest fallout in action to Googles treatment of Black people and females and allegations of disturbance in research study papers about AI slated for publication at academic conferences.In March, organizers of the Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency (FAccT) conference turned down Google funding, and scientist Luke Stark turned down $60,000 in Google financing.”Black in AI cofounder Rediet Abebe, who will become the very first Black woman faculty member at the University of California Berkeleys department of electrical engineering and computer system science, devoted last year to not taking money from Google to lessen the businesss sway over AI research.