Google renounces its commitment not to use AI in the military field

Google has updated its ethical guidelines on artificial intelligence (AI), removing the commitment not to use this technology for weapons and surveillance.

The Washington Post writes about it.

Previously, the company’s AI principles contained a section listing four areas in which the technology would not be used.

A Google spokesperson declined to comment on the company’s policy on weapons and surveillance, citing a blog post published by AI chief Demis Hassabis and James Manka, senior vice president of technology and society.

The blog notes that Google is updating its AI guidelines as the technology has become widely available, and companies from democratic countries are expected to support governments and national security.

“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. And we believe that companies, governments, and organizations sharing these values should work together to create AI that protects people, promotes global growth, and supports national security,” they wrote.

The Washington Post notes that Google’s principles of using AI for national security have made the company an outsider among the leading AI developers.

At the end of last year, ChatGPT developer OpenAI announced a partnership with military manufacturer Anduril to develop technology for the Pentagon.

Meanwhile, Anthropic, the creator of the Claude chatbot, has partnered with defense contractor Palantir to provide US intelligence and defense agencies with access to Claude via Amazon Web Services.

Tech giants Microsoft and Amazon, which compete with Google, have long been cooperating with the Pentagon.

Development of military AI

On January 23, it was reported that the Swedish defense company SAAB received a contract from the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop benchmarks for evaluating artificial intelligence.

The company will be developing the standards together with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as part of the Autonomy Standards and Ideals with Military Operational Values (ASIMOV) program.

SAAB will be represented by the Saab-Skapa team, which has extensive experience in developing autonomous systems.