Google to drop Pentagon AI contract after employee objections to the ‘business of war’

Washington Post ^ | June 1 at 6:10 PM | Drew Harwell

[BenLurkin]

The tech giant will stop working on its piece of the military’s AI endeavor known as Project Maven when its 18-month contract expires in March, a person familiar with Google’s thinking told The Washington Post.

Diane Greene, the chief executive of Google’s cloud-computing business, told employees of the decision at an internal meeting Friday, first reported by Gizmodo.

Google, which declined to comment, has faced widespread public backlash and employee resignations for helping develop technological tools that could aid in warfighting. The person said Google will soon release new company principles related to the ethical uses of AI.

…

Project Maven was launched in April 2017 to find ways the military could use AI to update its national security and defense capabilities “over increasingly capable adversaries and competitors,” a Defense Department memo stated. In a pilot effort, AI was deployed to analyze hours of footage from Predator drones and other unmanned aircraft, pinpointing buildings and vehicles and processing video now tagged by human analysts.

…

Thousands of Google employees wrote chief executive Sundar Pichai an open letter urging the company to cancel the contract, and many others signed a petition saying the company’s assistance in developing combat-zone technology directly countered the company’s famous “Don’t be evil” motto.

[BenLurkin]

[Ouchthatonehurt]

The free market will fill that hole in no time

[mfish13]

Yes, the Left sees our armed services and it’s people as Evil.

[pabianice]

“The business of war” is why you don’t speak German or Japanese, stupid.

[trisham]

They’ll never admit it.

[Da Coyote]

No problem. I wouldn’t trust Google anymore anyway.

They’ve changed their motto from “Do no evil” to “Do no thinking”.

They are easily replaceable.

[DivineMomentsOfTruth]

If they hate our military so much they should go without the benefit of their protection.. Let’s see how that would work out for them.

[plain talk]

Get someone else. I don’t trust Google.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

March 2018: Google's 'Don't be evil' code of conduct no longer applies

Just when they drop their old motto and free themselves up to do anything they want, they make this boneheaded decision. This is unfortunate -- they are the best at what they do.

[Reno89519]

I think the more troubling aspect of this is that this American company in-name-only says they will not do business with military contractors. Not a stretch to see them next saying they won’t do business with American companies, companies that fly the American flag, etc.

[elbook]

Not to worry

Whatever was delivered would come pre-delivered to the Chi-Coms

Fairness means selling out to the enemy - google is an “equal betrayal” company ...

[Leaning Right]

> “The business of war” is why you don’t speak German or Japanese, stupid. <

Google is treating the Pentagon much like the ale house treated Tommy.

I went into a public ‘ouse to get a pint o’ beer,
The publican ‘e up an’ sez, “We serve no red-coats here.”
The girls be’ind the bar they laughed an’ giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an’ to myself sez I:
O it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy, go away” ;
But it’s “Thank you, Mister Atkins,” when the band begins to play

[blackdog]

If you believe that, we are dummer than a box o rocks.

Google just creates a different company with a distracting name, and announces Google has quit the business with righteousness. Google fires all the people involved and the newly created cpmpany hires them all up the next day with a raise.

[neverevergiveup]

““The business of war” is why you don’t speak German or Japanese, stupid.”

So true.

[a fool in paradise]

Google does the bidding of the Chinese Communist government.

[a fool in paradise]

‘Say nothink!’ - Sgt Schulzgoogle

[Redleg Duke]

Hey Google...you want to see how irreplaceable you are?

Stick your index finger into the water in a toilet bowl up to the middle joint.

Count to three and jerk it out.

Observe the hole you left there!

Oh, did I forget to tell you to be sure and flush the toilet before doing this?

My bad!

[eclectic]

Maybe he does.

[jazminerose]

That’ll show ‘em.

[fuzzylogic]

I remember taking on a software project which was military related. The manager seemed to be very cautious about asking, almost surprised when I was happy to take it on. He noted, “ok, great thanks...it’s just that some people don’t want to do these projects because of the nature of the application.”.

I remember thinking, “just wow”. I was eager to do something that might, possibly, help our armed forces. I couldn’t help but consider the idiocy of not doing it. Who are these people? Can’t they understand the freedoms they have today is directly related to all those that have designed, built, and used in battle the equipment that is required to keep us free?

I’m humbled by those that have served. It was an honor to do something that contributed their capability.