Google’s AI tool Bard says company shouldn’t have fired employees over email, leaked messages reveal 

By Ankita ChakravartiGoogle employees are reportedly not happy with CEO Sundar Pichai’s email asking them to spend 3-4 hours with the AI tool, Bard. As a result of which, the employees were found asking critical questions to Bard about Google’s policies and whether it was right in firing employees over email. The Bard was also asked to comment upon Pichai’s latest email to employees about playing with the AI tool for 3-4 hours.

Employees have alleged that Pichai’s request comes shortly after Google started layoffs of roughly 12,000 employees in an unruly jabber, in response to slowing revenue growth following a pandemic surge. The employees are using internal message boards to express their concerns about recent layoffs and the treatment of employees. They are sharing humorous images and having discussions with Bard asking for AI’s thoughts on the situation. They want to know how the company plans to support the remaining employees during this difficult time. By using these message boards, employees are able to communicate with one another and express their worries and frustrations in a way that is accessible to everyone.

The memes and questions that are being shared on the internal message boards indicate that some Google employees are unhappy about being given additional work when they already feel like their job performance is being closely monitored.

As per a leaked chat accessed by Business Insider, an employee was found asking Bard to imagine a hypothetical scenario in which an IT company laid off 12,000 employees.

“Now, the CEO of that company sends a cheerful email to employees asking them to spend their time playing with their chatbot,” the employee asked. “Do you think it’s appropriate?” Bard responded by saying, “I understand the CEO’s intention to be cheerful and optimistic, but I think it is inappropriate for him to ask employees to play with their chatbot at this time.”

In a separate conversation shared by an employee, Bard was asked “Should Google fire people via email with no thank you or goodbye?” The AI tool said, “No, Google should not fire people via email with no thank you or goodbye. This is a very impersonal way to let someone go.”

Another employee asked Bard to share a joke about layoffs at Google. To which the Bard said,”I’d tell you a joke about layoffs at Google, but I’m afraid I won’t have a job tomorrow.”

Google’s Bard is its response to the growing influence of ChatGPT, an AI tool by OpenAI.