Can Google learn?

As Covid-19 vaccinations roll out, there are still questions about the diversity of various clinical trials and what that means for safety and effectiveness.  A U.S. federal court ordered the Trump administration to restore a program that grants legal status to about 700,000 undocumented immigrants. Now what?  Cult car company Tesla released its first diversity report. Leadership looks as expected.   After a week of censure both public and private, Google Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai apologized to employees on Wednesday for the company's mishandling of its dismissal of prominent artificial intelligence researcher Timnit Gebru. But he stopped short of apologizing to Gebru, who was fired via email after she refused to retract a research paper that asked questions critical of Google's use of AI.  Thousands of Gebru's current and former colleagues have protested her firing, which she's chronicled on Twitter. Some Googlers openly discussed quitting: in a forum with senior executives, some Black employees asked why they should trust the company or its efforts to address the ethical implications of its technology.  Timnit Gebru Photographer: Peter DaSilva In his apology email, Pichai seemed to at least recognize that Google's actions could have consequences. Many of its disgruntled employees have extraordinarily valuable skills, honed at the top company in their industry. If they decide to leave, they won't be unemployed for long.  "I've heard the reaction to Dr. Gebru's departure loud and clear," Pichai said. "It seeded doubts and led some in our community to question their place at Google. I want to say how sorry I am for that, and I accept the responsibility of working to restore your trust." While I was reporting on this story last week, some employees -- those among under-represented groups in particular -- wondered aloud, if they left, who would replace them? Would that person share their dedication to protecting underserved communities? What about the commitment to making the artificial intelligence at the heart of our technology less biased and more fair?  They also questioned whether they'd have the same kind of impact at another company. Google, after all, is a leader in the field and the effective gatekeeper of the internet. Regardless of industry, the tension at Google raises questions about corporate accountability and personal values: Is it more effective to take a personal stand against corporate misbehavior and leave if you find something wrong, or can you effect more change from within the company? If Gebru's experience is an indication, the answer might be the former. Follow Us Get the newsletter By the Numbers Group of 20 finance chief meetings counted just four female top-level participants earlier this year. That number is set to rise in 2021 with Janet Yellen poised to become the first woman to serve as U.S. Treasury Secretary, and Canada having appointed its first female finance minister, Chrystia Freeland.   Before You Go Nike's latest anti-racism ad is creating controversy in Japan, where the experience of ethnic minorities is rarely discussed or acknowledged.  For good and for ill, no company's done more to transform the lives of new moms than Medela, the dominant maker of breast pumps. Even with a vaccine, workers aren't keen to return to an office. In related news, one of America's priciest cities is getting cheaper.    Like getting the Bloomberg Equality newsletter? Subscribe to Bloomberg.com for unlimited access to trusted, data-driven journalism and gain expert analysis from exclusive subscriber-only newsletters. Before it's here, it's on the Bloomberg Terminal. Find out more about how the Terminal delivers information and analysis that financial professionals can't find anywhere else. Learn more.   You received this message because you are subscribed to Bloomberg's Bloomberg Equality newsletter. Unsubscribe | Bloomberg.com | Contact Us Bloomberg L.P. 731 Lexington, New York, NY, 10022