Congress wants answers from Google about Timnit Gebru's firing

The latest letter doesn't tie directly to the Algorithmic Accountability Act, but it is part of the same move by certain congressional members to craft legislation that would mitigate AI bias and the other harms of data-driven, automated systems. Notably, it comes amid mounting pressure for antitrust regulation. Earlier this month, the US Federal Trade Commission filed an antitrust lawsuit against Facebook for its "anticompetitive conduct and unfair methods of competition." Over the summer, House Democrats published a 449-page report on Big Tech's monopolistic practices. The letter also comes in the context of rising geopolitical tensions.