Meta, the parent company of Facebook, recently announced the creation of a new product advisory council. The Meta Advisory Group will provide periodic consultations to Meta’s management team regarding new technologies and products. The group includes four male executives, including CEOs from companies like Stripe, Shopify, and former executives from GitHub and Microsoft. Members of the council will not be paid and will operate separately from the board of directors.
The announcement came after Meta’s first-quarter earnings report where CEO Mark Zuckerberg stated the company’s commitment to investing in artificial intelligence (AI). Concerns over governance, data privacy, ethics, and safety risks associated with AI continue to grow as Big Tech companies invest heavily in the technology.
The new advisory council is seen as a replacement for Meta’s former Responsible AI division that was disbanded in November due to cost-cutting measures. However, critics have raised concerns about the lack of diversity on the council. All members are white males with similar backgrounds as tech executives. The lack of representation has raised concerns about how well the council can address issues related to AI governance and representation.
Meta did not respond to requests for comment regarding the council’s composition outside of standard business hours.
Despite these concerns, many see the formation of this advisory group as a positive step towards addressing challenges related to AI governance. Members include experts from prominent tech companies who have experience working with AI technologies. The council will provide insights and recommendations to Meta’s management team on new technologies and products.
Overall, while there may be concerns about diversity and representation on this advisory group, its formation represents an important effort by Meta to address growing concerns about AI governance.