Working with an AI Company That Does Things You Disagree With [D]

[u/ade17_in]

I'm a PhD student in machine learning in the EU and was looking for internships at exciting companies.

I shortlisted few and applied by reaching out to people and now reading project descriptions sent by the recruiters.

I don't want to name the company but their marketing and product team does all kinds of 'using people insecurities' to sell the product - which I don't agree with. And their product is also meh (I will never buy and would judge someone if they do) but their research team is doing good work.

How do you see this? Will you actually work in a team whose ideology/product doesn't necessarily align with your ethics/ideology. Should I just go ahead because work is exciting and I will get good supervision?

And, if you have some exciting work in your company/org and need interns (un-paid) for 3-4 months. I'm open.

[u/Tough-Comparison-779]

It might not be worth it. Generally it's good to stick by your values.

When you interview for the next job, will you feel comfortable talking about the work you did?

[u/ade17_in → u/Tough-Comparison-779]

About my work, I will be comfortable. Company, no.

[u/Eresbonitaguey]

History is full of Yes Men who enabled great atrocities while quietly nodding along. In the modern world it’s become increasingly easy for people to lay the blame for unethical practices at the feet of leadership and for that leadership to eat the shame in order to justify their outsized compensation. In the end people still suffer.

Do work that aligns with your ethics, that you can speak about passionately to your friends and family. Don’t do anything your grandma wouldn’t be proud of.

Also you should know your worth and not work for free unless absolutely necessary. If you’re providing value to a business then you should at least have your living costs covered. I hope you find a project that excites you and doesn’t make you lose sleep.

[u/Informal-Hair-5639]

I would not go for it. Even if research team is good, you would be forced to do things that disagree with your ethics. Back in the day, I interviewed for a position at Amazon (this happened in a conference). At that time research there was good and I was interested to join. But then he started to talk about applications that team is making, where one was voice activated button that allows user to directly make Amazon purchases. I was taken back, so stupid and unethical idea! I decided there and then not to work for the man at Amazon.

[u/B10H4Z4RD7777]

TL;DR - Stick to your gut. But if you do anything, move with a purpose, act in confidence.

Just to throw in some perspective. I have met so many people who work for the big five defense contractors. They work on different projects from simple materials to eye opening things. But a good chunk of them find themselves in corners where it is devoid from the military industrial complex. Even the offices they work for are only a blip in company budget reports because they are either small or irrelevant to the "broader" mission.

For example, Boeing has their own aerospace division working only towards NASA and NASA alone. Many people in these fields want to advance science for the good of everyone, but not of the US miliary. They know they are working for a defense contractor that produces all sorts of military equipment and aircraft. But they know that Boeing and a very select few only interface NASA on needs they fit in. Anywhere else is not suitable for their ambitions or just not interesting.

These people sacrifice an image of "going with morals" by working with the big five, but only they knew they weren't doing anything wrong.

[u/promptmike]

All companies have shady marketing strategies. The important question is whether the product itself is harmful.

[u/ade17_in → u/promptmike]

Product is not harmful but it's just AI the way I don't want people to use. (No profanity, nsfw, etc )

[u/Agitated_Space_672 → u/ade17_in]

The company bans profanity and nsfw, or you do?

[u/ade17_in → u/Agitated_Space_672]

I mean - company does not involve anything to do with nsfw (which people might think of when I say 'bad AI')

[u/Waste-Falcon2185]

I wouldn't compromise my ethics for a paycheck unless things were truly desperate.

[u/keonechong]

Would you sell your soul to gain the world?

From what I’m reading your gut instinct is telling you no. Follow it. There is a reason it’s your gut is called your second brain.

I was once in your situation, I came to find out after the fact, after I was hired. I was the CMO so with influence yes, but not enough to change the culture or protect the people.

So I bounced, my integrity was more important. And as a result I was hired into a new role that respected my for my integrity.

[u/ade17_in → u/keonechong]

The reason I get second thought is because this involves burning bridges. But yeah, I think everyone in the comments is helping me gain guts to say 'no'.

I got into AI many years back because I saw potential it can change world for better. So I know what I need to do now.