Google Removes AI Weapons, Surveillance Pledge from Ethics Policy
Google has quietly removed its previous commitment against using artificial intelligence (AI) for weapons and surveillance applications from its updated AI ethics policy, raising concerns about the potential for the tech giant to engage in projects with military and law enforcement implications, Al Jazeera reports.
The updated policy, released Tuesday, replaces the previous, more stringent language with a broader pledge to pursue AI “responsibly” and in line with “widely accepted principles of international law and human rights.” This differs significantly from the 2018 version, which specifically prohibited AI technologies that “cause or are likely to cause overall harm,” explicitly mentioning weapons and surveillance violating “internationally accepted norms.”
The original AI principles were established in the wake of significant internal backlash over Google’s involvement in Project Maven, a US Department of Defense project that explored using AI to identify targets for drone strikes. The controversy led to employee resignations and a petition signed by thousands demanding Google cease its participation. Google ultimately declined to renew its contract with the Pentagon.
Further demonstrating its initial commitment, Google also opted out of bidding for a $10 billion cloud computing contract with the Pentagon, citing concerns that it “couldn’t be assured” that the project would align with its AI principles.
The change in policy comes amidst a shifting political landscape and heightened pressure from governmental bodies. Notably, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai attended the January 20 inauguration of US President Donald Trump, along with other tech leaders like Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg.
On the same day, Trump swiftly rescinded an executive order put in place by former President Joe Biden that aimed to establish guardrails for the rapidly developing AI sector. Biden’s order mandated that companies developing AI technology share the results of safety tests with the government before releasing new technologies to the public.
