10/06/2025

Tech Industry Tried Reducing AI’s Pervasive Bias

Now some want to end what they call its ‘woke AI’ efforts

After retreating from their workplace diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) programs, tech companies could now face a second reckoning over their DEI work in AI products.

In the White House and the Republican-led Congress, “woke AI” has replaced harmful algorithmic discrimination as a problem that needs fixing. Past efforts to "advance equity" in AI development and curb the production of "harmful and biased outputs" are a target of investigation, according to subpoenas sent to Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI and 10 other tech companies last month by the House Judiciary Committee.

And the standard-setting branch of the U.S. Commerce Department has deleted mentions of AI fairness, safety and “responsible AI” in its appeal for collaboration with outside researchers. It is instead instructing scientists to focus on "reducing ideological bias" in a way that will “enable human flourishing and economic competitiveness,” according to a copy of the document obtained by The Associated Press.

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Associated Press.