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Why I Left Google DeepMind

turntrout.com

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Re: Why I Left Google DeepMind

#181

Post by zombot »

Theodores wrote: post #120
srameshc wrote: post #36

I did not know about TurnTrout till now and thanks to HN community now I know. I am beyond impressed as to how he lives by his principles. I don't think I have this kind of courgae or confidence and thankfully I don't work for Google or have to quit it. On the other hand we have smart people who have choose to work for companies like Palantir and are proud of it.

It is not about courage or confidence, it is more a calling, where few are called and that often turns out to be just one person, or so it seems, since everyone finds their excuse to not take a stand against the oppressor and for the oppressed. The author will have experienced every logical fallacy and TurnTrout has done well to document his efforts, rather than just the crimes of his adversaries. A calling of consci…

Another factor is that huge organizations break the horrible things they do down into a multitude of tiny little pieces where none of those working on them see the full load or the complete picture of what they are doing. This makes it easy to either lie to themselves or genuinely not know about what they're involved in.

Re: Why I Left Google DeepMind

#184

Post by fragmede »

Turn_Trout wrote: post #162
recitedropper wrote: post #4

Nothing but respect to TurnTrout for taking an action like this. The world needs more smart people who are willing to stand for what they feel is right, despite the pressures otherwise. Without that occurring more, our species is going to lose many impactful prisoner's dilemmas coming these next two decades. This raises my respect for AI researchers a little bit too. I have often felt that the entire industry is pret…

Thank you for your praise. > I'd guess TurnTrout doesn't agree on that framing, otherwise he probably would not have been at Deep Mind. But clearly he and I agree on other ethical positions; I am nothing but glad to see him stick to his principles here. FWIW I agree that creators should be compensated (but evidently it wasn't a deal-breaker for me joining). I think it's bad how little that has happened. I joined GDM…

Did you consider organizing a sit-in?

Re: Why I Left Google DeepMind

#185

Post by fouc »

fragmede wrote: post #184
Turn_Trout wrote: post #162

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thank you for your praise. > I'd guess TurnTrout doesn't agree on that framing, otherwise he probably would not have been at Deep Mind. But clearly he and I agree on other ethical positions; I am nothing but glad to see him stick to his principles here. FWIW I agree that creators should be compensated (but evidently it wasn't a deal-breaker for me joining). I think it's bad how little that has happened. I joined GDM…

Did you consider organizing a sit-in?

from the article:

>The stereotypical activist action is to make a petition. But Google had already ignored a large petition on this issue. Plus, Google’s executives likely hardened their company against stereotypical organizing tactics. Sit-ins, strikes, even a mass of Google engineers quitting: I deemed all of them ineffective (if I could even pull them off).

Re: Why I Left Google DeepMind

#186

Post by fragmede »

fouc wrote: post #185
fragmede wrote: post #184

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Did you consider organizing a sit-in?

from the article: >The stereotypical activist action is to make a petition. But Google had already ignored a large petition on this issue. Plus, Google’s executives likely hardened their company against stereotypical organizing tactics. Sit-ins, strikes, even a mass of Google engineers quitting: I deemed all of them ineffective (if I could even pull them off).

Yeah, that's why I asked.
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