- Alphabet Inc's (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Google recently terminated a senior engineering manager for allegedly debunking and harassing its landmark research on artificial intelligence software, Reuters reports.
- Google's research unit drew scrutiny in late 2020 after workers criticized its handling of personnel complaints and publication practices.
- The latest controversy stemming from efforts to automate chip design jeopardizes the reputation of Google's research in the academic community.
- Google scientists Azalia Mirhoseini and Anna Goldie discovered that AI could complete a critical step in the design process for chips, or floorplanning, faster and better than an unspecified human expert.
- However, other Google scientists, led by Satrajit Chatterjee, found that two alternative approaches based on essential software outperform AI. One beat it on a well-known test, and the other on a proprietary Google rubric.
- Goldie accused Chatterjee of harassing her and Mirhoseini for years by spreading misinformation about them.
- Google refused to publish the second theory because it did not meet its standards and removed Satrajit Chatterjee, a leading driver of the work.
- Google found the comparison to a human as more relevant, and software licensing issues had prevented it from mentioning tests.
- The conflict could disrupt the flow of millions of dollars in government grants for research into AI and chips, Reuters wrote.
- Price Action: GOOG shares closed higher by 1.91% at $2,343.14 on Monday.
- Photo courtesy company
