The restructuring comes as Google CEO Sundar Pichai emphasized the importance of developing AI responsibly in his company priorities for 2024. Despite the changes, a company spokesperson insists that the work of RESIN will continue in a stronger form. However, some employees are skeptical about Google's ability to live up to its goal of responsible AI development.
Key takeaways:
- Google's internal AI ethics watchdog, known as RESIN, is undergoing restructuring after losing its leader, Jen Gennai, who is expected to leave the company soon.
- RESIN, which was responsible for reviewing internal projects for compatibility with Google's AI principles, conducted over 500 reviews last year, including for the Bard chatbot.
- The team of about 30 people has been split into two, with some members transferred to trust and safety, which fights abuse of Google services.
- Despite the changes, a Google spokesperson insists that the company remains committed to responsible AI development, and that the restructuring will strengthen and scale their responsible innovation work across the company.