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Conservative influencer and anti-DEI agitator Robby Starbuck has a new role: advising tech giant Meta on how to prevent “bias” in its artificial intelligence systems.
The partnership is part of a settlement agreement Meta announced on Friday, after Starbuck sued the company in April accusing it of defamation by its AI chatbot. In his complaint, Starbuck alleged that Meta AI had repeatedly and falsely produced answers to queries about him stating that he had participated in the attack on the US Capitol on January, 6, 2021.
Starbuck and Meta Chief Global Affairs Officer Joel Kaplan shared a joint statement on Friday, saying the two parties had “resolved this matter to our mutual satisfaction.”
“Since engaging on these important issues with Robby, Meta has made tremendous strides to improve the accuracy of Meta AI and mitigate ideological and political bias,” the statement reads. “Building on that work, Meta and Robby Starbuck will work collaboratively in the coming months to continue to find ways to address issues of ideological and political bias and minimize the risk that the model returns hallucinations in response to user queries.”
Starbuck is a former Hollywood music video director who gained attention last year for online campaigns against some major American brands’ diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, support for gay Pride marches and LGBTQ events, efforts to slow climate change and other social policies. He has targeted brands popular with politically conservative customers — such as Harley-Davidson, Tractor Supply Co. and John Deere — and in some cases, claimed credit for companies scaling back such programs.
The agreement will give the high-profile right-wing activist a say in one of the most widely used AI systems, and at a time when Meta is investing heavily in the tech as it aims to reach what it calls “AI superintelligence.” Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in May that 1 billion people are using Meta AI each month across the company’s apps, although it’s not clear how the company measures use of the tool.
The move also follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump last month as part of the White House’s AI action plan that seeks to scrub AI models of so-called “woke” ideals. The order prohibits the federal government from procuring AI technology “infused with partisan bias or ideological agendas such as critical race theory” and says AI models should prioritize factors including historical accuracy and scientific inquiry, although experts have said determining what qualifies as bias in an AI system will be tricky.
Starbuck originally sought $5 million in damages with his lawsuit. Meta declined to comment on any financial terms of the settlement. A Meta spokesperson declined to comment on whether Starbuck is being paid for his advisory work, nor whether the company works with other such AI advisors.
Starbuck told CNBC in an interview Friday: “In terms of the monetary side and everything, I think that the big focus for us is really fixing this. That was the big reason why I decided to move forward not just with the lawsuit but with this settlement… we wanted to fix the problem for everybody.” Starbuck did not return CNN’s request for comment.
Meta has undergone a broader ideological shift to the right this year. Since January, the company has replaced its policy chief with Kaplan, a prominent Republican who previously worked in the George W. Bush White House; added Trump ally and UFC CEO Dana White to its board; and scrapped its partnerships with third-party fact-checkers that had been criticized by the right as politically biased, despite a lack of evidence to that effect.
In a statement posted to X last week, Starbuck said, “delivering fairness for consumers is the outcome I’ve always wanted.”
“As we move into a future where AI dominates many parts of our world, now you know that you have an unshakeable voice at the table to advocate for ideological fairness,” he said, adding that he planned to say more “after we complete our work.”
Starbuck told CNN last year that he wants US corporations to take a “neutral” stance on social issues, describing his activism as “corporate accountability for companies that depend on conservative consumers.” Experts in business management have noted that companies generally don’t take measures on diversity and climate because of a political stance, but rather as a business decision.
–Nathaniel Meyersohn and Lisa Eadicicco contributed to this report.
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