Google's top secret AI department Deepmind Labs urges company to drop military contracts

Google’s AI division, DeepMind, is facing internal unrest as around 200 employees have signed a letter calling on the company to terminate its contracts with military organisations.

The letter, drafted on May 16, 2023, represents about 5 per cent of DeepMind’s workforce and reflects growing concern within the AI lab about the ethical implications of using their technology for military purposes.

DeepMind, a top-secret AI lab under Google’s umbrella, is known for its cutting-edge advancements in artificial intelligence. However, the employees argue that the company’s involvement with military entities contradicts Google’s own AI principles. The letter emphasises that this issue isn’t about the geopolitics of any specific conflict but rather about the ethical implications of using AI in military applications.

The employees urge DeepMind’s leadership to deny military users access to its AI technology and to establish a new governance body within the company to ensure that the technology is not used for military purposes in the future.

Concerns within DeepMind have been fueled by reports that AI technology developed by the lab is being made available to military organisations through Google’s cloud contracts. According to a report by Time, Google’s contracts with the US military and the Israeli military grant these organisations access to cloud services that may include DeepMind’s AI technology.

This revelation has sparked significant ethical concerns among DeepMind employees, who feel that such contracts violate the company’s commitment to ethical AI development.

This isn’t the first time Google has faced internal protests over its military contracts. The company’s partnership with the Israeli government, known as Project Nimbus, has been particularly controversial.

Project Nimbus, which involves providing cloud services to the Israeli government, has drawn criticism from employees who are concerned about the potential use of Google’s technology in politically sensitive and military contexts. Earlier this year, Google reportedly fired dozens of employees who spoke out against the project.

The letter from DeepMind employees reiterates concerns about the impact of military contracts on Google’s reputation as a leader in ethical and responsible AI. The employees argue that any involvement in military and weapons manufacturing undermines the company’s mission statement and goes against its stated AI principles. They reference Google’s former slogan, “Don’t be evil,” as a reminder of the company’s commitment to ethical practices.

Despite these concerns, Google has yet to offer a substantial response to the employees’ demands. Four unnamed employees told Time that they have received no meaningful response from leadership and are growing increasingly frustrated. In response to the report, Google stated that it complies with its AI principles and that its contract with the Israeli government is not directed at highly sensitive, classified, or military workloads relevant to weapons or intelligence services. However, the partnership with the Israeli government has come under increased scrutiny in recent months.

DeepMind was acquired by Google in 2014 with the promise that its AI technology would never be used for military or surveillance purposes.

For many years, DeepMind operated with a degree of independence from Google, allowing it to focus on ethical AI development. However, as the global race for AI dominance has intensified, DeepMind’s autonomy has been reduced, and its leaders have struggled to maintain the lab’s original ethical commitments.

The internal tensions at DeepMind highlight the broader challenges that tech companies face as they navigate the ethical implications of AI development. As AI technology becomes increasingly powerful and versatile, the potential for its misuse in military and surveillance applications has become a major concern.

The letter from DeepMind employees is a reminder that the ethical principles guiding AI development must be upheld, even as the technology becomes more integrated into various sectors, including defence.

For Google, the challenge will be balancing its business interests with its commitment to ethical AI practices. The growing discontent among DeepMind employees suggests that the company’s leadership may need to take more decisive action to address these concerns and ensure that its AI technology is used in ways that align with its stated principles.