Big Tech Responds to AI Concerns
October 4, 2021
We cannot decide whether this news represents a PR move or simply three red herrings. Reuters declares, “Money, Mimicry and Mind Control: Big Tech Slams Ethics Brakes on AI.” The article gives examples of Google, Microsoft, and IBM hitting pause on certain AI projects over ethical concerns. Reporters Paresh Dave and Jeffrey Dastin write:
“In September last year, Google’s (GOOGL.O) cloud unit looked into using artificial intelligence to help a financial firm decide whom to lend money to. It turned down the client’s idea after weeks of internal discussions, deeming the project too ethically dicey because the AI technology could perpetuate biases like those around race and gender. Since early last year, Google has also blocked new AI features analyzing emotions, fearing cultural insensitivity, while Microsoft (MSFT.O) restricted software mimicking voices and IBM (IBM.N) rejected a client request for an advanced facial-recognition system. All these technologies were curbed by panels of executives or other leaders, according to interviews with AI ethics chiefs at the three U.S. technology giants.”
See the write-up for more details on each of these projects and the concerns around how they might be biased or misused. These suspensions sound very responsible of the companies, but they may be more strategic than conscientious. Is big tech really ready to put integrity over profits? Some legislators believe regulations are the only way to ensure ethical AI. The article tells us:
“The EU’s Artificial Intelligence Act, on track to be passed next year, would bar real-time face recognition in public spaces and require tech companies to vet high-risk applications, such as those used in hiring, credit scoring and law enforcement. read more U.S. Congressman Bill Foster, who has held hearings on how algorithms carry forward discrimination in financial services and housing, said new laws to govern AI would ensure an even field for vendors.”
Perhaps, though lawmakers in general are famously far from tech-savvy. Will they find advisors to help them craft truly helpful legislation, or will the industry dupe them into being its pawns? Perhaps Watson could tell us.
Cynthia Murrell, October 4, 2021
The Benefits of Offices with People
September 29, 2021
One result of the pandemic is likely to be with us for a while. Many workers find they prefer working remotely for a number of reasons, and a hefty percentage insist they be allowed to continue doing so. That may not be best for employers, though, at least in the IT field. The journal Nature Human Behavior shares a study on “The Effects of Remote Work on Collaboration Among Information Workers.” A team of researchers from Microsoft, MIT, and the University of California, Berkeley, examined the internal communications of Microsoft employees during the first half of 2020. They analyzed patterns in emails, calendars, instant messages, video and audio calls, and work hours. The conclusion—remote work has a detrimental effect on collaboration and information sharing. The paper states:
“Our results suggest that shifting to firm-wide remote work caused the collaboration network to become more heavily siloed—with fewer ties that cut across formal business units or bridge structural holes in Microsoft’s informal collaboration network—and that those silos became more densely connected. Furthermore, the network became more static, with fewer ties added and deleted per month. Previous research suggests that these changes in collaboration patterns may impede the transfer of knowledge and reduce the quality of workers’ output. Our results also indicate that the shift to firm-wide remote work caused synchronous communication to decrease and asynchronous communication to increase. Not only were the communication media that workers used less synchronous, but they were also less ‘rich’ (for example, email and IM). These changes in communication media may have made it more difficult for workers to convey and process complex information. We expect that the effects we observe on workers’ collaboration and communication patterns will impact productivity and, in the long-term, innovation.”
It does make sense that communicating face to face would be more effective than any other method. That is primarily how humans have been doing it for thousands of years, after all. We note, though, the study focuses on a period early in the pandemic—perhaps some of these inefficiencies have improved since then. The researchers acknowledge their scope is limited to that time period at that corporation and suggest further study is needed once the pandemic is (finally!) over. The paper suggests large organizations that can collect communications data consider performing their own analysis and sharing those results with the rest of us. See the paper for the many details of the study’s methods, results, conclusions, recommendations, and references.
Cynthia Murrell, September 29, 2021
Great Moments in Modern Management: The Mailchimp Move
September 28, 2021
I like the phrase “high school science club management methods.” No one else seems to care. I spotted a exemplary management maneuver. “Mailchimp Employees Are Furious After the Company’s Founders Promised to Never Sell, Withheld Equity, and Then Sold It for $12 Billion.” The “it” refers to the company, not “the equity,” but, hey, what does one expect from a mash up of Silicon Valley “real” news and German quality control. You will have to pay to read the original story. Money is needed for copy editors or a BMW lease.
I noted this passage:
The founders told anyone who would listen they would own Mailchimp until they died and bragged about turning down multiple offers. “It was part of the company lore that they would never sell,” said a former Mailchimp employee, who like others interviewed for this story were granted anonymity because they were unauthorized to discuss sensitive internal matters. “Employees were indoctrinated with this narrative.”
The two founders did sell.
Well, what do you know? A high flying online email marketing outfit said one thing and did another. Gee, that rarely happens.
I wish the HSSCMM would catch on. The methods are proliferating like snorts in the high school lunch room when someone mentions “the prom.” Oh, those mail monkeys all grown up!
Stephen E Arnold, September 28, 2021
Google: More Management of Sensitive Issues
September 24, 2021
Some MBA engineers are driven purely by greed without regard for their fellow humans. When Google formed its parent company, Alphabet Inc., they changed their company motto from “Don’t be evil” to “Do the right thing.” However, Google has proven it does not do the right thing when it comes to respecting user privacy and pursuing the almighty dollar. Google has violated user privacy multiple ways, while they tried to establish a market in China despite the country’s abhorrent human rights record.
The Daily Hunt explains that, “Alphabet Inc’s Google Gave User Data To Hong Kong Authorities Despite Vow.” The Hong Kong Free Press reported that Google gave the Hong Kong government user data, despite promising not to do so. Google said that these reports were actually stop bad actors and crime:
“Alphabet Inc’s Google complied with three of 43 government requests received between July and December 2019, the company told HKFP. One request was for an emergency disclosure involving a credible threat to life, Google said, while the others involved human trafficking and were supported by search warrants granted by the court. They were not related to national security and no user content data was shared, the company added.”
Other technology companies, including Microsoft, Facebook, and Twitter, said they would no longer comply with Hong Kong government data requests, because China imposed a national security law that violates civil rights.
Google could be telling the truth when it comes to preventing human trafficking and saving human lives, but they could also comply with the Chinese government in order to gain favor in its technology market.
Huge corporations pretend to be ethical, but its usually lip service. Money and the threat of bad publicity has more sway than violating civil liberties and human rights. Google is not any different.
Whitney Grace, September 24, 2021
Google and Its Informed Approach to Compensating Employees: Just Pay Less
September 23, 2021
Google does have unethical business practices, including violating user privacy, discriminating treat of ethnic minorities and women in its hiring activities and work environment, and attempting to establish a business relationship with China. Another infraction to add to Google’s growing list is: “Google Underpaid Thousands Of International ‘Shadow Workers,’ Violating Labor Laws Around The World, Report Reveals” says Business Insider.
Google employs over 900 temporary workers in Poland, France, Netherlands, Germany, India, Ireland, and the UK. Pay-parity laws in Asia and Europe require companies to pay full-time and temporary workers the same wage if they essentially do the same job. Google underpaid its workers in violation of these laws.
Google’s compliance department discovered the error, but did not want to bring attention to the issue. Instead Google raised wages for new employees in order to avoid financial, reputational, and legal problems. Google is still attempting to save face:
“While the team hasn’t increased the comparator rate benchmarks for some years, actual pay rates for temporary staff have increased numerous times in that period,’ Spyro Karetsos, Google’s chief compliance officer, said in a statement to Insider. Most temporary staff are paid significantly more than the comparator rates.
‘Nevertheless, it’s clear that this process has not been handled consistently with the high standards to which we hold ourselves as a company,’ he added. ‘We’re doing a thorough review, and we’re committed to identifying and addressing any pay discrepancies that the team has not already addressed. And we’ll be conducting a review of our compliance practices in this area. In short, we’re going to figure out what went wrong here, why it happened, and we’re going to make it right.’”
Google certainly has the funds to make it right. Google should be treating all of its employees, no matter their status, equality. If Google had admitted the mistake, they would have looked like the bigger person, been criticized or praised, then the world would have forgotten the incident. Now Google can add this to their list of personnel management achievements.
High school behavior? Intentional disregard for employee rights? We don’t know.
Whitney Grace, September 23, 2021
Google and Record Keeping: The Spin Method
September 16, 2021
A number of years ago, I was working in Washington, DC, when I heard chatter in a meeting. Elsewhere in the same building a Labor Department group was trying to figure out why Google didn’t have employment records. My team and I were working in a unit of the Capitol Police and the information elicited a chuckle. Who knew if the info about Google’s inability to provide employment data was accurate or just a poke at the online ad vendor.
I thought about this anecdote when I read “Revealed: Google Illegally Underpaid Thousands of Workers across Dozens of Countries.” The write up explains in what seems a truthful way:
Google executives have been aware since at least May 2019 that the company was failing to comply with local laws in the UK, Europe and Asia that mandate temporary workers be paid equal rates to full-time employees performing similar work, internal Google documents and emails reviewed by the Guardian show. But rather than immediately correct the errors, the company dragged its feet for more than two years, the documents show, citing concern about the increased cost to departments that rely heavily on temporary workers, potential exposure to legal claims, and fear of negative press attention.
“Gee, we don’t have employment data” flashed across my mind. If the write up is accurate, today’s thought is “Gee, we can just try to hide this misstep.”
Seems as if there might be a pattern. I am not sure, but I do recognize selective memory, situational corporate governance, and ignoring rules and regulations.
Gee, what a surprise after a quarter century of regulatory indifference. Hard to believe? Nope. Just institutionalized behavior for a digital country perhaps?
Stephen E Arnold, September 16, 2021
Forgetting the Lessons of the Phalanx: Zooming In Does Not Work for Some
September 14, 2021
I read a write up from the Android mobile of Captain Obvious. The title? Here she be: “Study of Microsoft Employees Shows How Remote Work Puts Productivity and Innovation at Risk.” Ground breaking!
The article explains without a trace of Saturday Night Live humor:
A new study finds that Microsoft’s companywide shift to remote work has hurt communication and collaboration among different business groups inside the company, threatening employee productivity and long-term innovation.
To make the academic goodness of the report even more credible, the write up explains that the research report was:
published Thursday morning by Microsoft researchers in the journal Nature Human Behaviour. It coincides with Microsoft’s announcement that employees won’t be returning to the office Oct. 4 as previously expected.
I circled this quote nestled in the article:
The desire of employees to have both flexibility and connection with others is what Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella calls the “Great Paradox.” The company is also announcing new features in Teams, LinkedIn and other products meant to address some of the challenges revealed by the data.
War fighters employing the reliable phalanx figured out that Zooming in to a battle was not a reliable way to win. Teaming in, even with new features, is unlikely to yield better results.
Perhaps the lack of togetherness at Microsoft makes life easier for those exploiting the security peculiarities of Microsoft systems and software? No, hold that thought, please. Microsoft’s Windows 11 is a Covid era product. The Microsoft Exchange Server and Azure issues are from PC time; that is, the pre Covid period.
Perhaps the already present communications and togetherness issues have been present for many years. The work from home approach just amplified them.
Paradoxical? Nope. Management acting as a 50000 watt AM radio station. Static, anyone? Will Microsoft employees do the Thermopylae thing to defeat Microsoft’s antagonists? Sure, just via Zoom and one hopes a functioning Teams with extra features.
Stephen E Arnold, September 14, 2021
IBM: The Master of Motivation Sets a High Bar for Professionalism
September 2, 2021
I sure don’t know if the information in this story is accurate:
The headline is catchy but the message seems like one I have seen before.
I noted this statement in the article:
according to this latest lawsuit and many others, IBM does not keep its payment commitments. Since 2018, the complaint says, Big Blue has successfully argued in court that its IPL is not a contract and it does not have a contractual obligation to pay specified commissions. As IBM doesn’t have any other contract with its California-based salespeople who earn commissions, the company maintains it doesn’t have to pay them what it said it would pay them. Predictably, this has prompted sales reps to sue to recover what they contend they’re owed.
The source article cites laws and regulations.
My thought is that IBM is taking steps to motivate its sales professionals to take action. What specific action? Looking for a new job perhaps? Looking for a lawyer? Sharing details about Big Blue with those interested in fading technology giants’ management methods?
Let’s ask IBM Watson, shall we? Will the answer be, “Let’s exploit the Pavlovian and insecure sales professionals”?
Stephen E Arnold, September 2, 2021
Management Moments: Googley Decider Methods
August 27, 2021
We wonder whether writer Bernard Marr has been watching the same Google we have. His piece at the SmartDataCollective declares “Analytics at Google: Great Example of Data-Driven Decision-Making.” Who looks at the company’s handling of the Timnit Gebru matter, the series of employee protests, the discontinued Town Hall meetings, and the management transition at DeepMind and thinks these are indicators of an intelligent company?
Without a shred of irony, Marr uses an example from the HR department to illustrate his point. Google once wondered whether managers were actually necessary and implemented Project Oxygen to find out. Using data from performance reviews, employee surveys, manager interviews, and employees’ “Great Managers Award” nominations, the company discovered the mind-blowing reality—bad managers make for bad results, but good managers can make a positive difference. Imagine that. Google assessed what made for bad or good managers and implemented certain policies based on the results. Marr summarizes:
“An Intelligent Company
Google is a great example of how good decision-making should be supported by good data and facts. Google clearly followed the five steps I outline in my book ‘The Intelligent Company: Five steps to success with Evidence-based Management’:
1. Defining the objectives and information needs: ‘Do managers matter?’ and ‘What makes a good manager within Google?’
2. Collecting the right data: using existing data from performance reviews and employee surveys and creating new data sets from the award nominations and manager’s interviews.
3. Analyzing the data and turning it into insights: simply plotting of the results, regression analysis and text analysis.
4. Presenting the Information: new communications to the managers
5. Making evidence-based decisions: revising the training, measuring performance in line with the findings, introducing new feedback mechanisms.”
All that is true as far as it goes, but that scope is quite narrow. Surely Marr could find a better company to hitch his book’s wagon to. Perhaps one with a reputation for making good decisions regarding its workers.
Cynthia Murrell, August 27, 2021
Google and Personnel Management: Myth or Mess Up?
August 25, 2021
I am not sure if “Google’s Payments Team Is Seeing and Exodus of Executives and Employees” is spot on or wide of the mark. (This chunk of management memorabilia will cost you; the story is paywalled.) Google is an exemplary commercial enterprise: Profitable, profitable, profitable. Did I mention profitable? It follows that its approach to personnel management is top of the class. Summa cum laude territory.
From this write up I learned:
Dozens of employees have left Google’s payments team in recent
months.
And what about leaving with know how?
The stream of exits by top talent and recent reorg present another challenge for Google as it tries to get ahead in the digital payment space and launch a bank account integrated into Google Pay.
No problem. No myth, no mess up. Google has steady hands on the controls. What could be better preparation for taking on Amazon:
Under the watch of senior vice president Prabhakar Raghavan, Ready has made a bigger ecommerce push in an effort to take on Amazon, which has included partnerships with Shopify, Square and others.
Just so Googley. Management excellence in action.
Stephen E Arnold, August 25, 2021
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