Google drops pledge not to use AI for weapons, surveillance
In its updated ethics policy on the powerful technology, Google has dropped a pledge not to use artificial intelligence for weapons or surveillance.
In its previous version of “AI Principles”, the company included a commitment not to pursue AI technologies that “cause or are likely to cause overall harm”, including weapons and surveillance that violates “internationally accepted norms”.
In a blog post Google senior vice president James Manyika, and Demis Hassabis, who leads the AI lab Google DeepMind, defended the move. They argue businesses and democratic governments need to work together on AI that "supports national security".
Google’s revised policy announced on Tuesday states that the company pursues AI “responsibly” and in line with “widely accepted principles of international law and human rights”, but does not include the previous language about weapons or surveillance.
The blog said the company's original AI principles, which were published in 2018, needed to be updated as the technology evolved.
The presser from Google said, "There’s a global competition taking place for AI leadership within an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape. We believe democracies should lead in AI development, guided by core values like freedom, equality, and respect for human rights."
Last month, The Washington Post reported that Google provided the Israeli military with access to its latest artificial intelligence (AI) technology from the beginning of Israel's war on Gaza.
