She expressed disappointment with the summit, criticizing it for being driven by corporate interests rather than genuine social impact, and noted it has become more about industry promotion than societal benefit.

Abeba Birhane, a prominent AI researcher, linked major tech companies to unethical practices such as supporting authoritarian regimes and facilitating war, emphasizing the importance of exposing these issues for social good.

She stressed that her work is evidence-based and aims to reveal the hypocrisy of using AI as a tool for social good while contributing to injustice and conflict.

Birhane was scheduled to give a keynote at the AI for Good Global Summit 2025 in Geneva, but the organizers pressured her to modify or cancel her presentation due to content concerns.

Faced with industry censorship, she refused to dilute her critique, delivering her speech under stress and with modifications, highlighting the suppression of critical voices.

The organizers demanded she remove references to sensitive topics like Palestine, Israel, 'genocide,' and 'illegal data torrenting,' to avoid mentioning specific companies or controversial issues.

Birhane criticized the current state of AI, especially generative AI, citing environmental harm, lack of regulation, and exploitative business models as major problems.

She proposed a fundamental rethink of AI development, advocating for abandoning large-scale general AI in favor of small, purpose-built models and removing capitalism-driven motives.

Birhane pointed out that the AI industry often neglects marginalized communities and criticized the event’s focus on robots and corporate speakers as reflective of its industry-centric nature.

Reflecting her disillusionment, Birhane expressed skepticism about future invitations to similar summits, feeling the event no longer aligns with her values.

Birhane argued that AI should be used to help and rehabilitate people, criticizing current applications like recidivism algorithms and tools related to eugenics.