Tech Execs Withdraw from Conference as AI-Generated Speaker Unmasked

On November 28, 2023, an unsettling revelation concerning an upcoming software conference caused a stir within the tech community, leading to notable withdrawals from corporate giants Microsoft and Amazon. This disruption stems from the discovery of a fabricated female speaker on the event's agenda, an issue that's reached public attention after several executives slated to speak at the conference decided to pull out.

The Fakeration Exposed

The individual unearthing this truth was none other than the DevTernity conference organizer, Eduards Sizovs, who was compelled to acknowledge via social media that a woman advertised as a speaker had been concocted through AI, possessing a manufactured identity and title. This admittance was made following suspicions raised about various profiles that seemed unnaturally generated and presented on the conference's website.

Denial of Underlying Intentions

Amidst the backlash, Sizovs refuted claims that the invented profiles were an attempt to distract from the event's lackluster diversity among speakers. He stood firm in his denial, electing not to offer apologies through his series of declarations on X, the platform previously known as Twitter. Furthermore, Sizovs did not engage with requests for comments made via email on that Monday.

Speaker Lineup Scrutinized

The scandal unearthed by the fake speaker revelation compelled other confirmed participants to swiftly rescind their involvement in the virtual conference initially set for December 7. Among them was Kristine Howard, an executive from Amazon Web Services, who elucidated her stance in a LinkedIn post, citing her disappointment at being the sole genuine female speaker advertised. This sentiment echoed in the actions of Microsoft executive, Scott Hanselman, who openly criticized the deception on X, accrediting his withdrawal to being misled by the faux lineup and the absence of inclusivity he values highly.

Calling for Diversity

In light of this controversy, Hanselman issued a reminder targeting all tech conference planners: to remember the vast pool of potential speakers that encompasses a wide range of life experiences, genders, ages, and cultural backgrounds.

About DevTernity

Traditionally hosted in Riga, Latvia, the DevTernity conference shifted to an exclusively online format as a response to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Despite previous success in organizing in-person events, the current situation has cast a shadow over the integrity of the conference's agenda, bringing diversity and authenticity to the forefront of conference organization discussions within the tech community.

tech, AI, scandal