• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Farm groups saved Bayer in court over RoundUp cancer claims. Five days later, Bayer called for tariffs on the ingredient farmers rely on

2

Billionaire MacKenzie Scott just donated $20 million to support America’s youth mental health, as a fifth of teens struggle with suicidal thoughts

3

Self-made multimillionaire says Canadians 'give no money away' compared with Americans—research shows U.S. giving is more than twice as high

1

Farm groups saved Bayer in court over RoundUp cancer claims. Five days later, Bayer called for tariffs on the ingredient farmers rely on

2

Billionaire MacKenzie Scott just donated $20 million to support America’s youth mental health, as a fifth of teens struggle with suicidal thoughts

3

Self-made multimillionaire says Canadians 'give no money away' compared with Americans—research shows U.S. giving is more than twice as high
TechAI

Google’s ‘chief decision scientist’ explains why she left the company and why business leaders’ choices about AI are so critical

Rachyl Jones
By
Rachyl Jones
Rachyl Jones
Down Arrow Button Icon
Rachyl Jones
By
Rachyl Jones
Rachyl Jones
Down Arrow Button Icon
September 6, 2023, 7:00 AM ET
Cassie Kozyrkov stands in front of a blue and pink wall.
Cassie Kozyrkov worked at Google for 10 years.Courtesy of Persona PR
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Google’s chief decision woman is out. 

Recommended Video

Cassie Kozyrkov, who has served as the internet company’s chief decision scientist and helped pioneer the field of decision intelligence, is going solo and working on projects to help business leaders navigate the tricky waters of artificial intelligence. 

As AI becomes more powerful and more prevalent across industries, Kozyrkov will launch her first LinkedIn course, publish a book, and give keynote speeches about how to make informed decisions. Her goal is to give leaders the tools to think about how they deploy AI, and to help the public hold AI decision-makers accountable for the choices that impact millions of people, she told Fortune.

She spent 10 years at Google, five of which as chief decision scientist. Among her responsibilities, she guided company leaders to make informed and responsible decisions regarding AI. 

“I’ve always believed Google’s heart is in the right place,” Kozyrkov said. But it is a large company, and outsiders sometimes equated her personal opinions with Google’s stance on a topic. In her new role, she won’t have to worry about how her advocacy impacts a company she represents, she told Fortune.

AI is undergoing a massive period of growth, which has caused anxieties about the future for some. Top minds in the AI space recently warned it could end humanity as we know it. This point in time feels like an inflection point in the world of tech. It is essential to have leaders in place that are educated in decision-making and consumers that can hold them accountable, according to Kozyrkov. 

Kozyrkov, who grew up in South Africa, received a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Chicago. She also has a master’s degree in mathematical statistics from North Carolina State University and a partially completed PhD in psychology and neuroscience from Duke University. Prior to working at Google, she spent 10 years as an independent data science consultant. 

During Kozyrkov’s time as chief decision scientist, which began in 2018, Google’s AI division grew substantially. CEO Sundar Pichai unveiled Duplex, an add-on to Google Assistant that can make phone calls on behalf of a user, intended to help schedule appointments, restaurant reservations, and other engagements. Google has made leaps in generating text, images, and videos from prompts, and it is developing robots that can write their own code. It also released Bard, its large language model rivaling ChatGPT. Many of Google’s developments have raised ethical questions from employees and academics, which isn’t unlike what’s happening at other AI companies. Google didn’t respond to requests for comment.

Kozyrkov would not comment on decisions she helped make at Google because of her nondisclosure agreement, but it’s not difficult to think of areas where the company has faced difficult choices when it comes to AI. In building Bard, Google had to decide whether to scrape copyrighted information to train the AI model. A lawsuit filed against Google in July accuses the company of doing so. Google also had to decide at what point to release the technology to remain competitive with ChatGPT but not damage its reputation. It came under fire right after it published the Bard demo video in which the chatbot gave an incorrect answer. 

Kozyrkov’s work revolves around the idea that individuals can make choices that affect a lot of people, and those at the top aren’t necessarily educated in the practice of decision-making. “It is easy to think of technology as autonomous,” she said. “But there are people behind that technology making very subjective decisions, with or without skill, to affect millions of lives.”

The best way to make a decision is something humans have long grappled with, and which continues to evolve. There’s Benjamin Franklin’s three-century-old pro/con model, but there are also more advanced ways to answer important questions, Kozyrkov said. While she is targeting business leaders, her methods can also be used to make other important life decisions, like where to go to college or whether to start a family. 

Decision-makers should ask themselves: What would it take to change my mind? They should also use data, but prior to seeing it, set criteria for what they will do based on what the data says. This helps decision-makers avoid confirmation bias, or using data to confirm an opinion they already have. It is also helpful to document the process of coming to an important decision—including the information available at the time—to evaluate the quality of a choice after it is made, according to Kozyrkov.

About the Author
Rachyl Jones
By Rachyl Jones
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

A row of people sit in a zoning meeting, many looking down or around the room.
EnvironmentData centers
Wyoming officials say Meta’s 715,000-square-foot data center is responsible for contaminating its water system with a rare bacterium
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 10, 2026
2 hours ago
Marketing’s new mandate: Why AI is forcing CMOs to think like ‘mini CEOs’ 
EuropeCMO
Marketing’s new mandate: Why AI is forcing CMOs to think like ‘mini CEOs’ 
By Sam ForsdickJuly 10, 2026
3 hours ago
In 2026 so far, U.S. VCs have deployed a record-shattering $412.7 billion. Almost none of it is trickling down.
NewslettersTerm Sheet
In 2026 so far, U.S. VCs have deployed a record-shattering $412.7 billion. Almost none of it is trickling down.
By Allie GarfinkleJuly 10, 2026
8 hours ago
Brad Smith, president of Microsoft, during a Senate hearing in Washington, D.C. on May 8, 2025. (Photo: Nathan Howard/Bloomberg/Getty Images)
NewslettersFortune Tech
The problem with U.S. AI policy
By Andrew NuscaJuly 10, 2026
8 hours ago
Werner Vogels, CTO, Amazon on stage.
AIAmazon
Companies are shifting toward cheaper open‑source AI models to rein in costs, Amazon CTO says
By Beatrice NolanJuly 10, 2026
10 hours ago
Asia’s founders are decamping to the U.S. as the region suffers a protracted venture funding slump
AsiaVenture Capital
Asia’s founders are decamping to the U.S. as the region suffers a protracted venture funding slump
By Angelica AngJuly 9, 2026
20 hours ago

Most Popular

Farm groups saved Bayer in court over RoundUp cancer claims. Five days later, Bayer called for tariffs on the ingredient farmers rely on
Economy
Farm groups saved Bayer in court over RoundUp cancer claims. Five days later, Bayer called for tariffs on the ingredient farmers rely on
By Mia OsmonbekovJuly 9, 2026
1 day ago
Billionaire MacKenzie Scott just donated $20 million to support America’s youth mental health, as a fifth of teens struggle with suicidal thoughts
Success
Billionaire MacKenzie Scott just donated $20 million to support America’s youth mental health, as a fifth of teens struggle with suicidal thoughts
By Emma BurleighJuly 9, 2026
1 day ago
Self-made multimillionaire says Canadians 'give no money away' compared with Americans—research shows U.S. giving is more than twice as high
Success
Self-made multimillionaire says Canadians 'give no money away' compared with Americans—research shows U.S. giving is more than twice as high
By Preston ForeJuly 9, 2026
1 day ago
U.S. Treasury has borrowed $155 billion every month of this fiscal year—and is now paying $24 billion a week in interest on its debts
Economy
U.S. Treasury has borrowed $155 billion every month of this fiscal year—and is now paying $24 billion a week in interest on its debts
By Eleanor PringleJuly 10, 2026
6 hours ago
Current price of oil as of July 9, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 9, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 9, 2026
1 day ago
Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi worked from midnight until 5 a.m. as a receptionist to pay for her Yale degree—and she says ‘respect went up’ because of it
Success
Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi worked from midnight until 5 a.m. as a receptionist to pay for her Yale degree—and she says ‘respect went up’ because of it
By Preston ForeJuly 6, 2026
4 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.