Google DeepMind Staff Call for End to Military Contracts

Around 200 employees at Google DeepMind have signed an open letter urging the company to stop working with military organizations, voicing ethical concerns over the potential use of AI technology in warfare. This group represents about 5 percent of DeepMind's workforce, and their concerns were highlighted in a report by Time magazine.

AI and Military Use: Ethical Concerns Raised

The letter clarifies that the employees' concerns are not focused on the geopolitics of any specific conflict. However, it does reference Time magazine’s reporting on Google’s Project Nimbus, a defense contract with the Israeli military. The letter also points to reports suggesting that the Israeli military uses AI for mass surveillance and to select bombing targets in Gaza. Under Project Nimbus, Israeli defense companies are required by the government to purchase cloud services from Google and Amazon.

Growing Tensions Within Google

This internal push reflects growing tensions between DeepMind’s AI research division and Google’s cloud business, which supplies AI services to military clients. Earlier this year, during the Google I/O conference, pro-Palestinian protestors staged a demonstration at the event's entrance, bringing further attention to these issues.

When Google acquired DeepMind in 2014, the lab’s leaders insisted that their AI technology would not be used for military or surveillance purposes. The letter from DeepMind employees reaffirms this commitment, stating that any involvement in military applications undermines Google’s reputation as a leader in ethical AI and contradicts the company’s AI principles and mission statement.

Calls for Change

The employees’ letter calls on Google leadership to investigate claims that its cloud services are being used by military organizations and defense contractors. It urges the company to cut off military access to DeepMind’s technology and to establish a governance body to prevent future use of AI by military clients.

Despite the significant concerns raised by nearly 200 employees, Time reports that Google has not yet provided a meaningful response to the demands outlined in the letter.