Google finally admits it pursues advanced AI weapons programs
By Drago Bosnic -February 6, 20250292
Google is among the largest companies in the world. Its influence on the global high-tech industry cannot be overstated, making it a very potent leverage for the United States. Officially, the company is “pacifist” and insists on “a peaceful use of high-tech”. That is, it was until a few days ago. Namely, Google’s parent company, Alphabet, has dropped all this superficial “pacifism”, including a public promise it would “never pursue” advanced artificial intelligence research for military purposes such as developing weapons and ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance) assets. In a blog post published on February 4, Google updated its public “ethical guidelines” regarding AI, removing any references to the use of such advanced technologies solely for peaceful purposes. For years, the controversial company was adamant that it would “never pursue high-tech that could cause or are likely to cause overall harm”.
One of the authors, Demis Hassabis, stated that these guidelines were being “overhauled in a changing world” and that “AI should protect national security”. Hassabis is the CEO and co-founder of Google DeepMind and Isomorphic Labs, both of which are incorporated into the Alphabet and deal with advanced AI research. He is also an official AI advisor for the government of the UK. Along with Hassabis, Google’s Senior Vice President for Technology and Society, James Manyika, argued that “as global competition for AI leadership increases, the company believed democracies should lead in AI development that was guided by freedom, equality, and respect for human rights”. They also claimed that they “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”.
By 2009, Google’s initial public motto of “don’t be evil” was downgraded to a “mantra”. Worse yet, when it was finally incorporated into the Alphabet by 2015, not even this “mantra” was included in the conglomerate’s ethics code. Interestingly, Manyika has been involved in close cooperation with the US military. In 2019, he co-chaired the Council on Foreign Relations Task Force on US Innovation Strategy and National Security along with Admiral William H. McRaven, where they issued a report titled “Innovation and National Security: Keeping Our Edge”. This means that Google has essentially always been involved with the US military. The evidence for this is overwhelming and involves much more than just conferences and reports. Namely, back in December 2023, the US announced that it wanted to deploy “Skynet-style weapons” against its geopolitical adversaries and wanted its so-called Big Tech to work on such projects.
https://vtforeignpolicy.com/2025/02/google-finally-admits-it-pursues-advanced-ai-weapons-programs/
