--- title: "Microsoft Laid Off Its Entire AI “Ethics and Society” Division" description: "Microsoft got rid of an entire company division devoted to AI \"ethics and society\" during its January layoffs, according to a report from Platformer." date: "2023-03-15" modified: "2023-03-15" authors: - name: "Maggie Harrison Dupré" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/mharrison" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/microsoft-laid-off-ai-ethics-society" categories: - "Artificial Intelligence" - "Ethics" tags: - "ai" - "ai ethics" - "microsoft" - "the digest" --- # Microsoft Laid Off Its Entire AI “Ethics and Society” Division ![Microsoft got rid of an entire company division devoted to AI "ethics and society" during its January layoffs, according to a report from Platformer.]() *\Image: Getty / Futurism\* ## Society Who? Microsoft got rid of its entire company division devoted to AI "ethics and society" during its January layoffs, [according to a report from *Platformer*](). Though the company still has an [office of responsible AI](), it was the job of the ethics and society staff to address how AI technology is likely to impact human society *i**n context* and communicate with product teams accordingly. "People would look at the principles coming out of the office of responsible AI and say, 'I don't know how this applies,'" one former ethicist told *Platformer*. "Our job was to show them and to create rules in areas where there were none." But now, as Microsoft races to jam [OpenAI software]() into seemingly every product [that it can](), the ethics and society department is gone — a telling sign that Microsoft is more focused on profitability and getting AI-driven products to market than ensuring that those products remain a positive force for society as a whole. ## Strung Out According to *Platformer*, the team was short-staffed for months before it was ultimately dissolved. Most of their 30-person staff was reassigned way back in October, leaving just seven employees to manage the department. The cuts were the reportedly result of pressure being applied from upper management including CTO Kevin Scott and CEO Satya Nadella, who were trying to "take these most recent OpenAI models and the ones that come after them and move them into customers' hands at a very high speed," according to a VP quoted by *Platformer*. Per the report, the remaining employees were also told in the meeting that their department was just "evolving" and wouldn't be "going away." Months later, though, they were all dismissed, along with the division — right as the company announced its [mammoth $10 billion investment]() in OpenAI. ## Not Dead Yet For its part, Microsoft has maintained that building responsible AI tools is still a priority. "Microsoft is committed to developing AI products and experiences safely and responsibly, and does so by investing in people, processes, and partnerships that prioritize this," Microsoft told *Platformer* in a statement. "Over the past six years, we have increased the number of people across our product teams and within the Office of Responsible AI who, along with all of us at Microsoft, are accountable for ensuring we put our AI principles into practice." "We appreciate the trailblazing work the Ethics & Society did to help us on our ongoing responsible AI journey," the company added. **READ MORE:** [*Microsoft just laid off one of its responsible AI teams*]() \[*Platformer*\] **More on Microsoft ethics:** [*Microsoft Released an AI That Answers Medical Questions, but It’s Wildly Inaccurate*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've reported extensively on the rise of AI as a cultural and business force shaping the media industry, and more broadly how those dynamics are changing how we all consume and share information and relate to one another. I'm also fascinated by public health policy and ethics, the role of emerging tech in politics and governance — and the powerful people and forces at those intersections — climate change, and the environment. My investigation on Sports Illustrated's use of AI-generated authors with fictional biographies won a 2024 Mirror Award for "Best Story on Media Coverage of Artificial Intelligence in Journalism and the Media" from Syracuse University's SI Newhouse School, I contributed to Niemen Lab's 2025 Predictions for Journalism series, and I've discussed my work for Futurism during appearances on NPR, CNN, the BBC, the CBC, and more. I grew up in rural Pennsylvania and attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where I played Division I field hockey for the Minutewomen as a midfielder. Since then, I've lived in New Orleans, Louisiana and Manhattan, New York. I spend my free time running, reading, perusing archival fashion, and searching for the world’s best negroni. I also have a debonair tuxedo cat, Westley, who's named after "The Princess Bride." ### Author social links [Bluesky]()