Google employees reportedly criticize AI tool created to moderate company meetings

As we all know, Generative AI is slowly making its way into almost every part of our lives. While some of it is definitely helpful and saves time, other implementations of AI may actually be irritating. One such case seems to be when used as a part of Google's company work culture. Reportedly, the Mountain View tech giant has introduced a new AI tool to moderate the company's monthly all-hands meetings, and this is annoying some employees.

The new tool is reportedly called "Ask" and its aim is to moderate Google's monthly meetings internally known as "Thank God It's Friday" (aka TGIF). The "Ask" tool acts as a middleman between Google's senior executives and employees. It serves to summarize and rephrase inquiries submitted by the employees for the management to look into.

Before Ask, Google employees were using a tool called Dory to submit and upvote questions to upper management, which could reach all the way to the CEO of the company, Sundar Pichai. Now, the new AI tool has changed things.

A Google spokesperson suggested that the new approach has doubled the interaction and engagement of employees during these meetings. One report says that only 1% of employees asked questions at these meetings before. However, although the new tool seems to benefit the company, some employees are reserved.

Some employees reportedly said that they rarely attend meetings or ask questions, as it seemed pointless to them now. Anonymous sources claimed that the AI tool softens the tone of questions and makes them less concerning, which makes executives address some sensitive questions more easily. Also, employees reportedly claim that this AI tool affects the idea of meaningful conversations between employees and leadership.

All in all, it seems some employees think the new tool helps the leadership team 'dodge' the context of the questions.

I think that having AI summarize things can be beneficial, as I'd imagine these meetings are humongous given how big Google as a company actually is. However, I do think AI should aim to keep the tone and context of questions to make the communication more truthful and authentic.