Microsoft ignored safety problems with AI image generator, engineer complains

Shane Jones said he warned management about the lack of safeguards several times, but it didn't result in any action

An artificial intelligence engineer at Microsoft published a letter on Wednesday alleging that the company's AI image generator lacks basic safeguards against creating violent and sexualized images. In the letter, engineer Shane Jones states that his repeated attempts to warn Microsoft management about the problems failed to result in any action. Jones said he sent the message to the Federal Trade Commission and Microsoft's board of directors.

Internally the company is well aware of systemic issues where the product is creating harmful images that could be offensive and inappropriate for consumers," Jones states in the letter, which he published on LinkedIn. He lists his title as principal software engineering manager".