Google Terminates Employee Involved in Gemini AI Project via Text Message

Google terminated an employee who was involved in the Gemini AI project via a text message, citing the chatbot’s unusual behavior and inaccuracies. This abrupt termination, along with the provision of a severance package, has sparked discussions on Google’s compensation practices.

Google’s AI chatbot, Gemini, displayed unusual behavior, prompting a pause in image generation and the termination of an employee responsible for the project, Alex Cohen. Cohen revealed his sudden termination via social media, expressing disappointment and uncertainty about his future. This incident has ignited discussions about Google’s compensation practices, particularly in light of recent revelations about a 300% salary increase offered to an employee uninvolved with its AI division. The controversy underscores broader concerns about fairness and transparency in compensation within the tech industry.

Google’s AI chatbot, Gemini, faced criticism for exhibiting unusual behavior, prompting users to share inaccuracies in generated images on Twitter. In response, Google temporarily halted image generation on Gemini. Meanwhile, Gemini’s mishap became a subject of amusement for its competitors. Adding to the controversy, Google terminated one of the employees responsible for the Gemini AI via text message, leading to the employee expressing distress on social media. This series of events highlights concerns about the reliability of AI technologies, as well as Google’s handling of employee terminations and communication.

Alex Cohen, a Google employee involved in developing algorithms for the Gemini AI model, recently disclosed his sudden termination from the tech giant on X (formerly Twitter). Cohen shared details about the unexpected manner in which he was asked to leave the company, shedding light on the internal workings of Google’s AI projects and raising questions about its employee management practices.

In a tweet, Alex Cohen expressed his disappointment over his abrupt termination from Google, stating, “Sad to share that I was laid off from Google today. I was in charge of making the algorithms for Gemini as woke as possible.” Cohen recounted the sudden loss of access to Hangouts and Google Drive, followed by a text from his manager informing him of his termination. He elaborated, “After complaints on Twitter surfaced today, I suddenly lost access to Hangouts and Google Drive, and my manager (he/him), texted me to let me know that I was fired.”

Despite the sudden end to his tenure at Google, Alex Cohen mentioned receiving a severance package equivalent to 12 months’ pay. Cohen expressed uncertainty about his next steps, mentioning a target total compensation of $2.7 million.

The termination of a Gemini AI employee at Google coincides with revelations by Perplexity AI CEO Aravind Srinivas, who disclosed that Google offered a 300% salary increase to an employee uninvolved with its AI division.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai has recently discussed the potential for further job cuts, citing the necessity of difficult decisions to support the company’s investment plans. In an internal memo to Google employees, Pichai emphasized the company’s ambitious goals and highlighted the need to create capacity for investments. He stated, “The reality is that to create the capacity for this investment, we have to make tough choices.”

Google acknowledged Gemini’s inaccuracies in historical image generation on Wednesday, highlighting ongoing challenges in competing with OpenAI’s ChatGPT since its launch in November 2022. A year ago, Google introduced its generative AI chatbot, Bard, but faced criticism for sharing inaccurate information about images of a planet beyond the Earth’s solar system in a promotional video. This incident led to a significant drop in Google’s shares, underscoring the competitive landscape and the importance of accuracy in AI technologies.

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