Technology giant Microsoft has been accused of censoring terms like “maternity leave” because they are not inclusive enough.
The tool, which can suggest alternatives to improve writing such as synonyms and grammatical corrections, now appears to have expanded to detecting when a user’s language is ‘not inclusive’.
When typing ‘maternity leave’, users are now told to use ‘birth-related leave’, ‘parental leave’ or ‘maternity leave’.
And when it comes to paternity leave – the time off a father takes – ‘child bonding leave’ is suggested as an alternative.
When users type “maternity leave,” they are greeted with the message: “Inclusivity. This term may not include all genders’.
The tool, which can suggest alternatives to improve writing such as synonyms and grammatical corrections, now appears to have expanded to detecting when a user’s language is ‘not inclusive’.
The inclusivity tool, which is part of Microsoft’s AI feature, was launched in 2019 but recently came under fire after a screenshot of the pregnancy suggestions was uploaded to social media.
The prompts are opt-in only, meaning users can disable them if they don’t want to see alternative options.
On social media, some labeled the suggestions an “absolute joke.”
The inclusivity tool, which is part of Microsoft’s AI feature, was launched in 2019 but recently came under fire after a screenshot of the pregnancy suggestions was uploaded to social media.
The suggestions are available for all Microsoft software, including Word, Outlook and Powerpoint.
This is not the first time that AI features launched by the company have caused controversy.
Earlier this year, it was announced that Microsoft was considering adding an extra key to its signature QWERTY keyboard.
When this key is pressed, users quickly access the AI assistant Copilot.
Copilot can be used to assist with a range of tasks, such as organizing files and windows on a user’s screen and performing more useful web searches.
In a blog post announcing the update, Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft’s head of consumer marketing, said the company “heralded a significant shift toward a more personal and intelligent computing future where AI will be seamlessly woven into Windows, from the system to the silicon , up to the computer. the hardware’.
He said adding the Copilot key would “simplify people’s computing experience, but also strengthen it” and “enable people to more easily participate in the AI transformation.”
A video shared by Microsoft shows how the new button will feature the Copilot logo and sit between the Alt key and the left arrow on the keyboard.
Microsoft has been contacted for comment.