Microsoft assures that it still has people who are invested in ethical and responsible development in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). According to reports, the independent “Team for Ethics and Society” has been dissolved, but a number of employees from different teams are said to still be taking care of ethical issues in AI development, including newly founded ethics teams. The US magazine Platformer recently reported on the dissolution of the team, citing pressure from above as the cause. However, Microsoft has clarified that some members have moved to other teams within the company.
In a translated statement, Microsoft said that the dissolved team played a crucial role in instilling a culture of responsible innovation within the company. Since then, Microsoft has been working hard to institutionalize this work and integrate responsible AI considerations into its technical systems and processes. The company now has hundreds of people working on these issues across various teams, including the Office of Responsible AI and a Responsible AI team called RAIL.
Microsoft further clarified that only fewer than ten members of the Ethics and Society team were affected by the dissolution, and some former members now hold key positions in the Office of Responsible AI and the RAIL team. With these efforts, Microsoft hopes to continue its commitment to responsible AI development.
