Meta hires conservative activist as AI bias advisor after lawsuit
In a significant move following a legal settlement, Meta has appointed conservative activist Robby Starbuck as an advisor to address “ideological and political bias” within its artificial intelligence chatbot. This decision comes after Starbuck filed a lawsuit alleging that Meta AI falsely linked him to the January 6th Capitol riot.
Starbuck is widely recognized for his online campaigns that have successfully pressured several companies, including Tractor Supply, John Deere, and Harley-Davidson, to abandon their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. His legal action against Meta stemmed from an incident where a Harley-Davidson dealer reportedly published a screenshot from Meta’s AI chatbot that erroneously connected Starbuck not only to the Capitol riot but also to the QAnon conspiracy theory.
The appointment also aligns with a broader political climate, specifically following President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at making AI less “woke.” In a joint statement provided to The Wall Street Journal, Meta and Starbuck affirmed their collaboration, noting, “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.”
During an interview, Starbuck declined to disclose whether Meta provided financial compensation to resolve the lawsuit. He emphasized the broader implications of such AI inaccuracies, 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 the first time Meta has settled a high-profile dispute; earlier this year, the company paid $25 million to resolve a 2021 lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump concerning the suspension of his social media accounts.
The issue of AI chatbot defamation has emerged as a nascent but growing legal challenge. In a similar vein, conservative radio host Mark Walters filed a lawsuit against OpenAI in 2023, claiming that ChatGPT falsely accused him of embezzling funds from a non-profit organization. However, a judge granted summary judgment in favor of OpenAI in May, dismissing Walters’ defamation claim. Meta’s engagement with Starbuck, therefore, marks a distinct approach in addressing AI bias and potential misinformation, setting a precedent for how tech giants might navigate the complex intersection of AI ethics, political sensitivities, and legal accountability.