Checks a box that outside regulators can look at. Otherwise outside regulators would likely try to investigate and regulate. Also Google's own research can be used to counteract AI ethics claims that are existential to Google. These are likely going to be Big Data type claims. Big ominous future threats like the GDPR for example.

We know the oil and gas industry produce copious amounts of CO2 causes global warming -- they knew because they funded the research. But publicly their position was "uncertainty".