Google made a significant change on its website this week by removing a commitment to not develop AI for weaponry or surveillance. The modification was initially noticed by Bloomberg. The company seems to have revised its public AI principles page, deleting a section titled “applications we will not pursue,” which was still present just last week.
When asked for a response, the company directed TechCrunch to a recent blog post on “responsible AI.” The post highlights the belief that collaboration among companies, governments, and organizations is crucial in developing AI that safeguards individuals, fosters global advancement, and upholds national security.
With Google’s updated AI principles, the company pledges to address unintended or negative consequences and prevent unfair biases. It also commits to adhering to widely recognized international law and human rights principles.
In recent times, Google’s involvement in providing cloud services to the U.S. and Israeli military has triggered internal protests from its employees. Despite the company’s stance that its AI is not intended for harm, the Pentagon’s AI leader recently revealed to TechCrunch that certain AI models from the company are expediting the U.S. military’s kill chain.
