AI Chatbot Controversy Ignites Leadership Turmoil at European Geosciences Union

A controversy over an AI chatbot developed in China has caused a rift at the European Geosciences Union (EGU), resulting in the firing of its president:

AI chatbot sparks concerns: GeoGPT, an AI-powered chatbot being developed by Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba as part of the Deep-time Digital Earth (DDE) initiative, has raised concerns about transparency, potential state censorship, and copyright infringement:

• Paul Cleverly, a visiting professor, highlighted “serious issues” with GeoGPT regarding lack of transparency, potential state censorship, and copyright infringement in an editorial.
• A group of publishers argued that GeoGPT was built off unlicensed literature and lacked transparency by not citing its sources.
• DDE said it would not make GeoGPT widely available until it could cite sources and is working on a licensing deal with Springer Nature to address concerns.

Tensions at EGU meeting: The controversy came to a head at EGU’s April meeting, where a session introducing GeoGPT was disrupted:

• EGU’s vice president, Peter van der Beek, reprimanded attendees, ripped up a revised program, and escorted two DDE members out of the room.
• Several scientists filed complaints about van der Beek’s behavior, claiming it may have constituted harassment and discrimination.
• Van der Beek apologized to DDE’s president but attendees argue all session participants deserve an apology.

EGU president fired: In May, EGU leaders voted to fire President Irina Artemieva, elevating van der Beek to the role:

• Artemieva was accused of being difficult to work with, breaching confidentiality by sharing a complainant’s name, and threatening the executive secretary.
• Supporters argue Artemieva’s confidentiality breach was a mistake and that the firing was a “coup d’état” by the leadership to cover their own mistakes.

Broader context and implications: The episode highlights anxieties around the growing use of AI and China’s rising influence in science:

• China’s funding of DDE through the $70 million effort is filling a void left by other countries, but some remain wary about the country’s involvement.
• Models like GeoGPT are becoming more common, with NASA recently announcing its own Earth science AI language model called INDUS.
• The International Union of Geological Sciences is seeking to broker peace by inviting all parties to a workshop and proposing an international governance body for GeoGPT.