The director of machine learning at Apple Inc. left last week due to the company's new policy. After a little more than three years with the tech firm, Ian Goodfellow decided to leave. According to Zoe Schiffer of The Verge, he was formerly one of Google's top employees in the Artificial Intelligence area. He joined Apple in an effort to improve the company's current machine learning and AI technology departments.
According to his LinkedIn page, Goodfellow joined Apple as Director of Machine Learning in the Special Projects Group in March 2019. He was a senior staff research scientist at Google and was recognized for GANS or Generative Adversarial Networks. Two competing neural networks were pitted against one another to improve the accuracy of their systems.
Ian Goodfellow, Apple’s director of machine learning, is leaving the company due to its return to work policy. In a note to staff, he said “I believe strongly that more flexibility would have been the best policy for my team.” He was likely the company’s most cited ML expert.
— Zoë Schiffer (@ZoeSchiffer) May 7, 2022
According to reports, Goodfellow informed his coworkers of his resignation by email, along with the reason behind it. He cited Apple's aggressive ambitions to return to in-person labor as one of the reasons for his resignation. By April 11, the tech giant's plans called for all employees to work from home at least one day a week. Along with it, two days per week by May 2 at the very least, and three days per week by May 23 at the very least. Goodfellow voiced his strong opinion that more flexibility will prove to be the 'optimal policy' for his whole team in an email issued to the workforce.
“I BELIEVE STRONGLY THAT MORE FLEXIBILITY WOULD HAVE BEEN THE BEST POLICY FOR MY TEAM,” GOODFELLOW SAID IN THE EMAIL.
Employees of the tech business began returning to Apple Park last month, in anticipation of the three-day in-office work regime that will take effect on May 23. Clearly, some employees have been dissatisfied with the idea to return to in-person work so frequently. A poll of a small group of employees indicated that the majority of them were actively looking for work elsewhere. Clearly, the policy of returning to work, as well as the likelihood of the virus spreading, were two major factors in this mindset. Furthermore, issues such as hostile business culture and a dismal work-life balance factor played a role in their choice to quit.
"Without the inclusion that flexibility offers, many of us feel we have to pick between a mix of our families, our well-being, and being empowered to perform our best work, or being a member of Apple," a lot of workers wrote to Apple CEO Tim Cook during the summer. This is a decision that none of us take lightly, and one that many of us would want to avoid."