Google continues to fire AI researchers who criticize its work. According to the New York Times, Google fired machine learning scientist Satrajit Chatterjee in March after he refused to publish a paper that Chatterjee and other experts wrote, challenging previous findings that computers could design certain chip components more efficiently than humans.
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The scientist reportedly participated in a paper disputing these claims after he and the other authors expressed reservations, but was fired after a committee rejected the paper and the researchers hoped to bring the issue to CEO Sundar Pichai and Alphabet 's board of directors .
The company has not specified why it fired Chatterjee, but said it had reasons for doing so. It also argued that the original paper had been “thoroughly reviewed” and peer-reviewed, and that the study disputing the claims “did not meet our standards.”.
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Whether the allegations are true or not, the firing highlights the ongoing conflict between Google’s management and its artificial intelligence teams, which have taken on many of projects . The problems began when Google fired ethicist Timnit Gebru in 2020 after a dispute over one study, with two others following. The issue escalated when the internet giant also fired Margaret Mitchell in early 2021.
While Google claimed Mitchell violated data privacy policies, it also publicly criticized executives and the decision to fire Gebru. Those layoffs led veteran engineers to leave the company and demand reforms. Google investigated Gebru's firing and promised changes, but Chatterjee's firing may not ease tensions.
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It's no secret that Google prides itself on its AI. It's eager to tout algorithms that can outperform humans in areas like chip design and cancer detection, and its flagship Pixel 6 are built around a custom processor focused on AI. Any flaws could significantly impact Google's business and tarnish its reputation as a leader in AI development.
