Google fires second AI ethics researcher amid diversity, research freedom controversies

Google said in a statement Margaret Mitchell violated the company's code of conduct and security policies

Alphabet Inc's Google fired researcher Margaret Mitchell on Friday, they both said, after a weeks-long investigation found she moved electronic files outside the company amid a battle over research freedom and diversity.

Google said in a statement Mitchell violated the company's code of conduct and security policies. Mitchell did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Read | Google faces backlash from employees over Black AI researcher Gebru's dismissal

Google's ethics in artificial intelligence research unit has been under scrutiny since December's dismissal of Black scientist Timnit Gebru, which prompted protest from thousands of Google workers. She and Mitchell, who is white, had called for more diversity among Google's research staff and expressed concern that the company was starting to censor research critical of its products.

Mitchell and Gebru co-led the team for about two years.