It takes courage to speak truth
to the mto the most powerful technol-ost powerful technol-
ogy comogy comogy comogy comogy comcompaniespanies in the world. panies in the world. panies in the world. panies in the world. panies in the world. int
TimTimTimnit Gebru is a truth teller.nit Gebru is a truth teller.nit Gebru is a truth teller.t
Gebru was the mGebru was the mGebru was the mmost senior ost senior ost senior
Black womBlack womBlack woman to lead a teaman to lead a teaman to lead a teama of of of
AI ethicists at Google, hired AI ethicists at Google, hired AI ethicists at Google, hired g
to find issues and imto find issues and imto find issues and immprove prove prove
the technology. She was ulti-the technology. She was ulti-
mmately fired after co- ately fired after co- authoring authoring
a paper that did just that; it a paper that did just that; it
exposed racial discrimexposed racial discrimina-ina-
tion and environmtion and environmental harmental harm
in large-scale artificial intelli-in large-scale artificial intelli-
gence systemgence systems at the coms at the company. pany.
Her ousting sparked protests Her ousting sparked protests
by scholars and Google emby scholars and Google em--
ployees around the world. ployees around the world.
Gebru is one of the world’s Gebru is one of the world’s
leading researchers helping leading researchers helping
us understand the limus understand the limits of its of
artificial intelligence in prod-artificial intelligence in prod-
ucts like facial- recognition ucts like facial- recognition
software, which fails to rec-software, which fails to rec-
ognize womognize women of color, espe-en of color, espe-
cially Black womcially Black womcially Black womcially Black womcially Black woml Black omenen. Her work en. Her work en. Her work en. Her work en. Her work
shines a light on racial dispar-shines a light on racial dispar-shines a light on racial dispar-a
ities in the tech industry, fromities in the tech industry, fromities in the tech industry, fromd
worker mworker mworker mistreatmistreatmistreatment to dis-ent to dis-eent to dis-
crimcrimcriminatory product design.inatory product design.inatory product design.u
She now leads the Distrib-She now leads the Distrib-She now leads the Distrib-t
uted AI Research Institute uted AI Research Institute uted AI Research Institute I
(DAIR) and is a fierce voice (DAIR) and is a fierce voice (DAIR) and is a fierce voice e
of clarity about both the limof clarity about both the limof clarity about both the limo --
its and the possibilities of AI, its and the possibilities of AI, its and the possibilities of AI, i
warning us about what can go warning us about what can go warning us about what can go w
wrong when power goes un-wrong when power goes un-wrong when power goes un-e
checked in the tech industry. checked in the tech industry.
She offers us hope for justice- She offers us hope for justice- She offers us hope for justice- e
oriented technology design, oriented technology design, oriented technology design, g
which we need now mwhich we need now mwhich we need now mw ore ore ore
than ever.than ever.
Noble is a director of the Noble is a director of the
UCLA Center for Critical UCLA Center for Critical
Internet Inquiry and author Internet Inquiry and author
of of AlgorithmAlgorithms of Oppression: s of Oppression:
How Search Engines How Search Engines
Reinforce RacismReinforce Racism
TimTimnit nit
GGebruebru
Holding Big Tech to account
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