Google quietly drops pledge against using AI for weapons | Al Mayadeen English
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Google has quietly removed its previous commitments not to use artificial intelligence for weapons or surveillance, according to an updated set of AI principles released on Tuesday.
The revisions come just weeks after Google CEO Sundar Pichai and other tech leaders attended the inauguration of US President Donald Trump. When asked about the change, a Google spokesperson referred to a blog post outlining the company’s AI principles, which no longer included previous promises made by Pichai in 2018.
In the updated post, Google DeepMind chief Demis Hassabis and senior vice president James Manyika wrote, “We believe democracies should lead in AI development, guided by core values like freedom, equality, and respect for human rights.”
They added that “companies, governments, and organizations sharing these values should work together to create AI that protects people, promotes global growth, and supports national security.”
Pichai had previously assured that Google would not develop AI for weapons that harm people or for surveillance violating international norms. However, this specific wording was absent from the newly published AI principles.