Google DeepMind staff resign over military AI contracts
Original title: Google staff resign in backlash over its AI contracts with military
Engineers say this year's Pentagon deals widen classified use with weak oversight; Google says reviews follow its AI principles.
BBC reports that Google DeepMind staff have resigned or are leaving over the company's AI work for the US and Israeli militaries. London research engineer Sofia Liguori quit this week, and researcher Andreas Kirsch left earlier this month, saying oversight is inadequate for classified military use. A contract signed this year allows Google models for any lawful government purpose, excluding domestic mass surveillance and autonomous weapons without human oversight. Similar deals were signed by OpenAI, Amazon, Microsoft, SpaceX, Oracle, Nvidia and Reflection.
Unconfirmed: Resigning staff say Google lacks meaningful control over Pentagon use; Google says contracts follow its review process and AI principles.
- Liguori resigned after three years and spoke despite a contract limiting public criticism.
- Kirsch says Google appears unable to veto or fully see Pentagon deployment.
- The contract bars autonomous weapons and mass surveillance without human oversight.
- OpenAI, Amazon, Microsoft, SpaceX, Oracle, Nvidia and Reflection signed similar deals.
- Staff told the BBC they fear retaliation for raising AI-safety concerns.
- Vendors
- Organizations
- Google DeepMindUS Department of DefensePalantir
- Countries
- United StatesIsrael
From the original article
5 min read at bbc.com
Google is facing a backlash from some staff members over the company's deployment of its AI technology for military use. The BBC has spoken to several tech workers who have either recently resigned from Google's AI company, Google DeepMind, or are in the process of leaving, over concerns with the tech firm's military contracts. Sofia Liguori, a London-based research engineer, is one of them.
By saikatsg · bbc.com
A short excerpt; the article and its images belong to the publisher. Summary, key facts and assessment above are AI-written from the article and can be wrong.