Latest news with #DougGurr
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Alan Turing Institute scraps diversity drive under pressure from ministers
Britain's leading artificial intelligence (AI) institute has scrapped a key diversity scheme after coming under pressure from ministers. The research initiative from The Alan Turing Institute, which last year was handed £100m in taxpayer funding, had aimed to get more women into science and promote 'equity in the data science and AI fields'. However, the programme has now been axed following a review by the organisation's board amid calls for it to focus increasingly on defence. The decision means the institute will no longer have a mandate to investigate 'diversity and inclusion in online and physical workplace cultures', while it will also end inquiries into how 'social bias' risks being built into machine learning systems. It comes just days after Peter Kyle, the Technology Secretary, urged the institute to 'reform'. In a letter to Doug Gurr, the former Amazon executive who is now chairman of the organisation's board of trustees, Mr Kyle said it must 'evolve and adapt' to 'prioritise its defence, national security and sovereign capabilities'. Drift from core mission Originally launched by David Cameron in 2015, the institute has come under growing scrutiny after it was awarded the £100m government funding. This week, a report from British Progress argued the organisation had 'lost its way' and needed 'major reform'. The think tank said the institute had a 'fragmented and thinly spread research portfolio' and that it had been 'susceptible to mission creep'. The report added: 'The most significant example of this has been its drift away from its core technical mission toward work rooted in social and political critique.' British Progress warned that, if it failed to reform, there would be grounds to 'decommission the institute entirely'. While the institute has made moves towards reforming its research, its staff have also criticised its allegedly chaotic management and a lack of diversity in senior roles. Last year, more than 180 staff signed a letter questioning its decision to hire four top male academics, as they criticised a 'trend of limited diversity within the institute's senior scientific leadership'. In December, The Telegraph reported that external consultants had raised concerns from staff about 'tokenism' and 'nepotism' at the institute, warning of 'pervasive issues of low morale'. That month, staff also sent a no-confidence letter to its leadership team and board, warning it had been left 'rudderless'. The scrapping of the gender representation scheme comes amid a wider retreat across the technology sector, with many businesses rowing back on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies after Donald Trump's return to the White House. The institute was named after the Second World War computer scientist Alan Turing, who was persecuted for his homosexuality. The mathematician, who died in 1954, led Britain's codebreakers at Bletchley Park and helped to design a machine to crack Nazi Germany's Enigma messages. Yet in recent years, the institute has been dogged by concerns that it missed out on the emergence of a new wave of technology. In 2023, a report from the Tony Blair Institute argued it had 'not kept the UK at the cutting edge of international AI developments '. A spokesman for the institute said it was in the process of reviewing 100 projects, two of which had been axed. They added: 'We're shaping a new phase for the institute focused on delivering real-world impact against society's biggest challenges and will respond to the national need to double down on our work in defence, national security and sovereign capabilities.'
Telegraph
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Alan Turing Institute scraps diversity drive under pressure from ministers
Britain's leading artificial intelligence (AI) institute has scrapped a key diversity scheme after coming under pressure from ministers. The initiative from The Alan Turing Institute, which last year was handed £100m in taxpayer funding, had aimed to get more women into science and promote 'equity in the data science and AI fields'. However, the programme has now been axed following a review by the organisation's board amid calls for it to focus increasingly on defence. The decision means the institute will no longer have a mandate to investigate 'diversity and inclusion in online and physical workplace cultures', while it will also end inquiries into how 'social bias' risks being built into machine learning systems. It comes just days after Peter Kyle, the Technology Secretary, urged the institute to 'reform'. In a letter to Doug Gurr, the former Amazon executive who is now chairman of the organisation's board of trustees, Mr Kyle said it must 'evolve and adapt' to 'prioritise its defence, national security and sovereign capabilities'. Drift from core mission Originally launched by David Cameron in 2015, the institute has come under growing scrutiny after it was awarded the £100m government funding. This week, a report from British Progress argued the organisation had 'lost its way' and needed 'major reform'. The think tank said the institute had a 'fragmented and thinly spread research portfolio' and that it had been 'susceptible to mission creep'. The report added: 'The most significant example of this has been its drift away from its core technical mission toward work rooted in social and political critique.' British Progress warned that, if it failed to reform, there would be grounds to 'decommission the institute entirely'. While the institute has made moves towards reforming its research, its staff have also criticised its allegedly chaotic management and a lack of diversity in senior roles. Last year, more than 180 staff signed a letter questioning its decision to hire four top male academics, as they criticised a 'trend of limited diversity within the institute's senior scientific leadership'. In December, The Telegraph reported that external consultants had raised concerns from staff about 'tokenism' and 'nepotism' at the institute, warning of 'pervasive issues of low morale'. That month, staff also sent a no-confidence letter to its leadership team and board, warning it had been left 'rudderless'. The scrapping of the gender representation scheme comes amid a wider retreat across the technology sector, with many businesses rowing back on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies after Donald Trump's return to the White House. The institute was named after the Second World War computer scientist Alan Turing, who was persecuted for his homosexuality. The mathematician, who died in 1954, led Britain's codebreakers at Bletchley Park and helped to design a machine to crack Nazi Germany's Enigma messages. Yet in recent years, the institute has been dogged by concerns that it missed out on the emergence of a new wave of technology. In 2023, a report from the Tony Blair Institute argued it had 'not kept the UK at the cutting edge of international AI developments '. A spokesman for the institute said it was in the process of reviewing 100 projects, two of which had been axed. They added: 'We're shaping a new phase for the institute focused on delivering real-world impact against society's biggest challenges and will respond to the national need to double down on our work in defence, national security and sovereign capabilities.'
Bloomberg
10-07-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
In the City: CMA Chair Doug Gurr
Earlier this year, the UK government directed its antitrust watchdog, the Competition and Markets Authority, to be "less risk averse" and to align more closely with its pro-growth agenda. We invited the CMA's interim chair Doug Gurr to update us on that mission and to explain what the group is doing to support the government's pledge to make it easier for businesses and the economy to grow.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Microsoft's $13 Billion OpenAI Tie-Up Cleared by UK Watchdog
(Bloomberg) -- Microsoft Corp.'s $13 billion investment into OpenAI Inc. was cleared by the UK's antitrust watchdog, ending months of uncertainty over the tie-up. Trump Administration Plans to Eliminate Dozens of Housing Offices Republican Mayor Braces for Tariffs: 'We Didn't Budget for This' NJ College to Merge With State School After Financial Stress How Upzoning in Cambridge Broke the YIMBY Mold NYC's Finances Are Sinking With Gauge Falling to 11-Year Low The Competition and Markets Authority said that the 2023 deal doesn't qualify for a full investigation under merger rules. The CMA said in 2023 it intended to look at whether the partnership gave either of the two firms more control and influence over another. The decision, after around 14 months of scrutiny, removes one UK regulatory uncertainty for Microsoft, which faces a continued investigation into its cloud service offerings. It also comes weeks after the US Federal Trade Commission raised concerns that the deal could extend Microsoft's dominance in cloud computing into the nascent artificial intelligence market. 'The CMA found that while Microsoft did acquire material influence over OpenAI in 2019, there has not been a change of control by Microsoft,' the CMA said in a statement. Microsoft's bet on OpenAI gave the software maker an early lead over its Big Tech rivals by integrating its products into virtually every corner of its core businesses. Microsoft and Apple Inc. last year dropped plans to take board roles at OpenAI in a decision that underscored the growing regulatory scrutiny. There has been mounting government pressure for regulators to speed up decision making, cut red tape and allow more risk to spur the economy. That led to the ouster of its chairman in favor of ex-Amazon Inc. executive Doug Gurr, and a strategic steer too focus on speeding up the decision-making process on interventions, giving more certainty for investors. 'We are not blind to the length of time that this investigation has taken,' Joel Bamford, the CMA's executive director of mergers, said in a LinkedIn post. The degree of complexity, the changing nature of the partnership and continued dialogue with the companies led to 'an exceptionally extended period of review,' Bamford said on Wednesday. The CMA's review was part of attempts by global regulators to ensure Big Tech's investments into the AI industry don't distort the market or lead to a handful of all-powerful firms. The agency voiced its concerns about what it called an 'interconnected web' of partnerships and investments in the AI ecosystem. It previously cleared Google's partnership with AI firm Anthropic. 'We are focused on developing AI that is safe and beneficial for everyone,' OpenAI said in a statement. Microsoft's partnership with OpenAI and its continued evolution promote competition, a Microsoft spokesperson said after the decision. (Updates comments from Microsoft, OpenAI and CMA) Snack Makers Are Removing Fake Colors From Processed Foods An All-American Finance Empire Drew Billions—and a Regulator's Attention The Mysterious Billionaire Behind the World's Most Popular Vapes Rich People Are Firing a Cash Cannon at the US Economy—But at What Cost? Greenland Voters Weigh Their Election's Most Important Issue: Trump ©2025 Bloomberg L.P.
The Guardian
05-03-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
UK watchdog drops competition review of Microsoft's OpenAI partnership
The UK's competition watchdog will not hold a formal investigation into Microsoft's partnership with the startup behind the artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT, stating that while the $2.9tn (£2.3tn) tech company has 'material influence' over OpenAI it does not control it. The Competition and Markets Authority said Microsoft, OpenAI's biggest financial backer with a $13bn investment, acquired material influence over the San Francisco-based business in 2019 but did not exercise de facto control over it – and therefore did not meet the threshold for an official inquiry. The decision follows expressions of disquiet over the appointment of the former boss of Amazon UK, Doug Gurr, as the CMA's interim chair. The organisation's chief executive, Sarah Cardell, has also said the CMA does not want to create a 'chilling effect' on business confidence, amid pressure from the UK government on regulators to produce pro-growth proposals. The CMA's executive director for mergers, Joel Bamford, said: 'We have found that there has not been a change of control by Microsoft from material influence to de facto control over OpenAI. Because this change of control has not happened, the partnership in its current form does not qualify for review under the UK's merger control regime.' However, Bamford added that the decision should 'not be read as the partnership being given a clean bill of health on competition concerns'. The CMA started investigating the OpenAI relationship after the dramatic sacking and reinstatement of Sam Altman as OpenAI's chief executive – over a hectic few days in November 2023, Microsoft announced it had hired Altman, only for him to rejoin the startup. The CMA highlighted a recent reduction in OpenAI's reliance on Microsoft for computer power – a key factor in operating an AI business – as an influence over its decision. A Microsoft spokesperson said the partnership with OpenAI and its continued evolution 'promote competition, innovation, and responsible AI development … We welcome the CMA's conclusion, after careful and prudent consideration of the commercial realities, to close its investigation.' Last year, the CMA decided not to investigate Amazon's investment in the AI firm Anthropic and further Microsoft partnerships with the AI firms Mistral and Inflection. Microsoft recently contributed to a funding round that raised $6.6bn for OpenAI and valued the business at $157bn. OpenAI is run by a non-profit board but has a for-profit subsidiary, in which Microsoft is the biggest backer, with returns to investors and employees capped. Sign up to TechScape A weekly dive in to how technology is shaping our lives after newsletter promotion Despite concerns over Gurr's appointment and the CMA's efforts to avoid a 'chilling effect' on the economy, the CMA did target big tech with investigations in January, the month that Gurr was appointed. Google is being investigated over its dominance in internet search and search advertising, while it is also conducting a separate inquiry on the impact of Apple and Google's mobile platforms on consumers and businesses. In January, Microsoft said the CMA was making a 'fundamental mistake' in its investigation into the cloud market, after the watchdog said the tech firm was making it harder for Google and Amazon to compete effectively for customers in cloud computing, the term for providing IT services such as data storage and computing power over the internet with a pay-as-you-go pricing structure.
