Posted on 04/08/2018 7:16:26 AM PDT by MarvinStinson
Thousands of Google employees have signed a letter protesting the company’s involvement in a Pentagon program that uses artificial intelligence to interpret video imagery and could be used to improve the targeting of drone strikes.
The letter circulating inside Google has garnered more than 3,100 signatures, reflecting a culture clash between Silicon Valley and the federal government.
“We believe that Google should not be in the business of war,” says the letter, addressed to Sundar Pichai, Google's chief executive. It asks that Google pull out of Project Maven, a Pentagon pilot program, and announce a policy that it will not “ever build warfare technology.”
That kind of idealistic stance comes naturally to a company whose motto is “Don’t be evil,” a phrase invoked in the protest letter. But it is distinctly foreign to Washington’s massive defense industry and certainly to the Pentagon, where the defense secretary, Jim Mattis, has often said a central goal is to increase the “lethality” of the United States military.
The company subsequently described its work on Project Maven as “non-offensive” in nature, though the Pentagon’s video analysis is routinely used in counterinsurgency and counterterrorism operations, and Defense Department publications make clear that the project supports those operations. Both Google and the Pentagon said the company’s products would not create an autonomous weapons system that could fire without a human operator, a much-debated possibility using artificial intelligence.
“The argument that other firms, like Microsoft and Amazon, are also participating doesn’t make this any less risky for Google,” the letter says. “Google’s unique history, its motto Don’t Be Evil, and its direct reach into the lives of billions of users set it apart.”
Like other upstarts turned powerful Silicon Valley behemoths, Google is being forced to confront the idealism that guided the company in its early years.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Tell them it can be used to target hicks and rednecks and they’ll dive in headfirst.
Quite similar to the Viet Nam War days of Gov’t sponsored research at Universities.
Google Employees Protest Work for the Pentagon
Only while Trump is in office, if we get another commie they’ll go right back to keeping their mouths shut.
Because hissy fits and petitions worked so well in college, surely it will in the real world.
We believe that Google should not be in the business of war,”,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, LOL!! Until $$$$$$$$$$$ talks.
The hypocrisy is stunning.
Let them know the program was initiated by their dear comrade Obama.
Shut up and bake the friggin cake.
Google needs to replace many employees with Americans.
Why the heck is government work going to Google? They’re the worst, in spite of FB getting all the publicity. I’m with the Google employees on this one. The government shouldn’t put this work out to bid. Let the gov hire employees, instead of tossing profits to deep-pocket donors to DC swampthings.
Just tell the CEO that Russia wants to target them and he/she will hurriedly have a target painted on their roof to show solidarity.
Exactly. Tell them it will be used to target gun owners and other normal people in flyover country and the snowflakes will beg to work on the project.
Google is a FRONT for the deep-state.
I would suggest that FACEBOOK is not far behind Google.
Summarily, permanently and with no favorable employee references, all 3,100 originators!
Google needs to replace many employees with Americans.
________
Please allow me to shorten that a little:
“Google needs to be replaced”.
We are witnessing the early days of “Skynet”.
Don’t be evil? Google is some of the evilist SOBs on the planet.
“We believe that Google should not be in the business of war”
China winks
Time to relocate to China. /sarc
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.