Meta hires anti-diversity activist as AI advisor to settle lawsuit
In a significant development for the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence and corporate policy, Meta has appointed conservative activist Robby Starbuck as an advisor to address “ideological and political bias” within its AI chatbot. This move is part of a settlement reached after Starbuck filed a lawsuit alleging that Meta AI falsely linked him to the January 6th Capitol riot.
Starbuck has gained prominence through public pressure campaigns against companies with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. His efforts have reportedly led several prominent companies, including Tractor Supply, John Deere, and Harley-Davidson, to discontinue their DEI initiatives. The lawsuit against Meta stemmed from an incident where a Harley-Davidson dealer reportedly shared a screenshot from Meta’s AI chatbot, which incorrectly stated Starbuck’s involvement in the Capitol riot and associated him with QAnon.
The decision to bring Starbuck on board comes amidst a broader political climate increasingly focused on AI’s perceived biases, including a recent executive order from former President Donald Trump aimed at making AI less “woke.” In a joint statement provided to The Wall Street Journal, Meta and Starbuck affirmed, “Since engaging on these important issues with Robby, Meta has made tremendous strides to improve the accuracy of Meta AI and mitigate ideological and political bias.”
While the terms of the settlement were not fully disclosed, Starbuck declined to comment during an interview with CNBC on whether Meta provided financial compensation to resolve the lawsuit. He emphasized the broader implications of AI bias, stating, “I’m one person, but this could cause a lot of problems across the entire industry when it comes to elections and political bias, and we wanted to be leaders in solving this problem.” This isn’t Meta’s first high-profile settlement related to political figures; earlier this year, the company paid $25 million to resolve a 2021 lawsuit filed by Donald Trump concerning the suspension of his social media accounts.
The issue of AI chatbots generating false or defamatory information is not unique to Meta. In 2023, conservative radio host Mark Walters filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging that its ChatGPT model falsely claimed he was accused of embezzling funds from a non-profit organization. However, in that case, a judge granted summary judgment in favor of OpenAI, dismissing the defamation claim in May.
Meta’s decision to enlist Starbuck as an AI advisor highlights the complex challenges technology companies face in navigating public perception, political pressure, and the inherent biases that can emerge from large language models. As AI continues to integrate more deeply into daily life, ensuring its accuracy and perceived neutrality remains a critical, and often contentious, endeavor for the industry.