Google DeepMind staff call for end to military contracts

In May 2024, astir 200 employees astatine Google DeepMind (representing astir 5 percent of the division) signed a missive urging the institution to extremity its contracts with subject organizations, expressing concerns that its AI exertion was being utilized for warfare, Time mag reported.

The missive states that worker concerns aren’t “about the geopolitics of immoderate peculiar conflict,” but it does nexus retired to Time’s reporting connected Google’s defence declaration with the Israeli military, known arsenic Project Nimbus. The missive besides points to reports that the Israeli subject uses AI for wide surveillance and to prime targets successful its bombing run successful Gaza, with Israeli limb firms mandated by the authorities to acquisition unreality services from Google and Amazon.

The usage of AI successful warfare has dispersed rapidly, pushing immoderate technologists who physique related systems to talk out. But Google besides made a circumstantial commitment: erstwhile it acquired DeepMind successful 2014, the lab’s leaders required that their AI exertion would ne'er beryllium utilized for subject oregon surveillance purposes.

“Any engagement with subject and limb manufacturing impacts our presumption arsenic leaders successful ethical and liable AI, and goes against our ngo connection and stated AI Principles,” the missive that circulated wrong Google DeepMind says. 

As Time reports, the missive from DeepMind unit urges enactment to analyse claims that Google unreality services are being utilized by militaries and weapons manufacturers, to chopped disconnected subject entree to DeepMind’s technology, and to found a caller governance assemblage to forestall aboriginal usage of the AI by subject clients.

Time reports that contempt worker concerns and calls for action, they’ve seen “no meaningful response” from Google truthful far.