Categories: Technology

Google Fires Engineer Who Claims Its A.I. Is Conscious

[ad_1]

SAN FRANCISCO — Google fired one of its engineers, Blake Lemoine, on Friday, more than a month after he raised ethical concerns about how the company was testing an artificial intelligence chatbot that he believes has achieved consciousness.

A Google spokesman, Chris Pappas, said Mr. Lemoine, a senior software engineer in its Responsible A.I. organization, “chose to persistently violate clear employment and data security policies that include the need to safeguard product information.”

The company, which denies that its chatbot language model is sentient, had placed Mr. Lemoine on paid leave in June. Mr. Lemoine confirmed his dismissal in a text message on Friday, and said he was meeting with lawyers to review his options. The firing was first reported by the newsletter Big Technology.

Mr. Lemoine caused a stir last month when he told The Washington Post that he believed Google’s Language Model for Dialogue Applications, or LaMDA, was sentient — unleashing fears that A.I. was moving closer to a dystopian sci-fi film and a raucous debate over whether a computer program can really have a soul. His suspension also led to conspiracy theories about whether it was part of a cover-up by Google.

For Google, it was another in a line of homegrown controversies about the ethics and role of its A.I., an area of technology on which the company has staked its future.

Mr. Lemoine’s contention that LaMDA is sentient has been criticized by the company and many other A.I. experts who have said these types of chatbots — software that simulates a text-based conversation with another human, often used for customer service — are not advanced enough to be conscious.

“If an employee shares concerns about our work, as Blake did, we review them extensively,” Mr. Pappas said. “We found Blake’s claims that LaMDA is sentient to be wholly unfounded and worked to clarify that with him for many months.”

Besides taking his concerns to the media, Mr. Lemoine said in June that he handed over documents to a U.S. senator, whom he hasn’t identified, claiming that they provided evidence that Google and its technology engaged in religious discrimination.

[ad_2]
Source link
Admin

Recent Posts

Super Slot Games Review

Super slots provide the pinnacle of casino gaming with their interactive bonus rounds, captivating graphics,…

4 months ago

The Evolution and Impact of  Nanomedicine

Introduction to Nanomedicine Nanomedicine, a subfield of nanotechnology, involves the application of nanoscale materials and…

4 months ago

Chumba Online Casino Review

Chumba Casino provides an extraordinary online gaming experience. Its sweepstakes model allows players to win…

5 months ago

How to Find the Best Online Casinos to Play For Free

Online casinos provide quick, simple, and highly convenient gambling experiences for their players. Offering a…

5 months ago

How to Achieve a Flawless Complexion with the Right Products

Achieving a flawless complexion is a common skincare goal. With the right face care products, you can enhance…

5 months ago

Creating Ideal Matches: The Mutual Selection of Clients and Businesses

Shared values and goals, transparency, understanding each other's needs, communication, and respecting boundaries are vital…

5 months ago