In a latest controversy around tech companies and military partnerships, a researcher at Google DeepMind said he felt ‘deeply ashamed’ to be part of the company after the tech giant signed a deal that allows its AI technology to be used in classified operations by the United States Department of Defense.
The issue comes at a time when more than 600 employees had already written to Google CEO Sundar Pichai, asking the company not to allow its AI systems to be used for military purposes.
In a letter seen by The Washington Post, the employees warned that allowing classified military use of Google AI could link the company to harmful outcomes without workers even knowing about it.
Google Signs AI Deal With Pentagon Despite Staff Warnings Over Military Use
Many within the company were reportedly hoping that the leadership would reconsider the move. However, the deal was finalised despite these concerns.
“I’m speechless at Google signing a deal to use our AI models for classified tasks. Frankly, it is shameful. For HR, I’m not speaking on behalf of Google but in my personal capacity, quoting public information from a well-sourced article of a reputable publication,” he wrote on Elon Musk-owned social media platform.
Kirsch cited a report from The Information that Google had signed a deal allowing the Department of Defense to use its AI technology in classified settings.
“When I went to bed yesterday, I was hopeful that the employee letter would have an effect and give us pause to consider. This morning I woke up to a worst-case version of the contract being signed by Google in the meantime,” Kirsch told Business Insider.
Reports suggest that the contract allows the defence department to use Google’s AI models in classified environments. This has raised concerns around possible use cases such as surveillance and autonomous systems.
Responding to the Business Insider, a Google spokesperson said the new agreement is only an extension of an earlier contract. The company had previously signed a deal with the Pentagon for non-classified AI work.
