OpenAI responds to Congressional Black Caucus about lack of variety on its board

OpenAI has responded to a letter despatched by the Congressional Black Caucus that flagged the dearth of variety on its board.

OpenAI’s response letter, which TechCrunch noticed, was dated January 5 and signed by CEO Sam Altman and Chairman of the Board Bret Taylor. It mentioned constructing a whole and various board was one of many firm’s high priorities and that it was working with an government search agency to help it find expertise. The OpenAI board has acquired criticism for its lack of gender and racial diversity since its reconfiguration after Altman’s ousting and immediate return in November.

In mid-December, CBC Chairs Rep. Emanuel Cleaver and Rep. Barbara Lee sent a letter to OpenAI, asking it to “move expeditiously” in diversifying its board. It famous how vital a Black perspective is whereas constructing machine studying instruments as a way to assist mitigate AI bias. The letter was addressed to Altman, Taylor, and board members Larry Summers and Adam D’Angelo. The CBC letter then requested 5 inquiries to OpenAI, together with whether or not the corporate had any DEI objectives for the board and the way it was guaranteeing girls and folks of colour had been being thought-about for the roles. It initially gave OpenAI a December 29 response deadline.

“The board of OpenAI, a non-profit public institution created to ensure that AI benefits all of humanity, is now composed exclusively of white men,” the CBC letter learn. “It is our hope that you will work with us and acknowledge by example the importance of the perspectives and experiences of women and people of color on the future of AI.”

In its response, OpenAI didn’t straight deal with CBC’s request relating to the inclusion of Black voices on the board. It broadly famous, nonetheless, that its board construction work was ongoing and that the corporate remained dedicated to addressing dangerous AI biases. It then cited a couple of examples, together with its insurance policies banning hateful content, its instruments that help detect hate, and the truth that it taught its imaginative and prescient mannequin, by which a person can ask a query about a picture, not to answer any stereotype-based questions.

The corporate ended the letter by saying the inclusion of ladies and folks of colour was vital to the way forward for AI and that it regarded ahead to working with the CBC. OpenAI didn’t instantly reply to TechCrunch’s request for remark relating to its response letter or its plans to diversify its board. As of this month, the corporate’s board search stays ongoing, and no new names have formally been added.

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver informed TechCrunch he appreciated the response and was inspired by OpenAI’s dedication to rent an out of doors agency. Nonetheless, he felt OpenAI’s response didn’t give concrete plans as to the way it was going to diversify its board.

“I hoped for a stronger response that would include something to the nature of ‘we are trying right now to look across the ethnic, racial and gender barriers, and we hope to be moving in the direction of higher inclusivity,’” Rep. Cleaver mentioned. “I looked for something where that might have been implied, and I did not find that.”

He’ll current the letter to the remainder of the CBC at its luncheon subsequent week to assemble their ideas on OpenAI’s response. The CBC also sent a letter final month to the Division of Labor asking it to analyze whether or not the continued tech layoffs disproportionately have an effect on the Black neighborhood. The division informed TechCrunch it had acquired the letter and was reviewing it.