Google Drops Pledge Against AI for Weapons

Google has made a change to its AI principles, removing vows to not use AI for surveillance or weapons. The update came a few weeks after CEO Sundar Pichai and other tech leaders attended the inauguration of President Donald Trump.

When asked about the update, a Google spokesperson pointed to a blog post that lays out Google’s AI principles but omits the promises Pichai first made in 2018.

The post, written by Google DeepMind chief Demis Hassabis and senior VP James Manyika, emphasizes values like freedom, equality, and respect for human rights while stressing the need for AI to support national security.

This change comes as Trump has already rolled back AI safety regulations by former President Joe Biden, meaning companies now face fewer obligations regarding transparency and risk assessments.

Google insists it remains committed to responsible AI development, pointing to its annual AI progress reports. However, this shift raises questions, especially given past employee pushback from when Google was involved in a Pentagon AI project for military targeting.