Google, once known for its famous motto “Don’t be evil,” has quietly revised its corporate rules. The removal of past commitments that restricted the development of artificial intelligence for military applications seems to some to be a quiet abandonment of AI ethics.

According to Wayback Machine archives, between January 30 and February 4, the tech giant updated its AI Principles webpage. The revisions erased previous pledges that aimed to prevent Google’s AI from being used in warfare or unlawful surveillance.

These promises had been in place since 2018, when CEO Sundar Pichai introduced a list of ethical guidelines to govern the company’s AI projects.

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Don't Be Evil: What Changed?

Before the update, Google’s AI policy explicitly stated that it “will not design or deploy AI in the following application areas.” These included “technologies that cause or are likely to cause overall harm” and “weapons or other technologies whose principal purpose or implementation is to cause or directly facilitate injury to people.” A small disclaimer beneath the list indicated that these guidelines might evolve.

Now, these restrictions have vanished. The revised AI Principles emphasize the company’s commitment to “responsible” AI development and adherence to “widely accepted principles of international law and human rights.” However, the once-clear prohibitions on military use have been removed.

Google Executives Defend the Shift

A blog post by Google Senior Vice President James Manyika and Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis attempted to justify the policy changes.

While the executives did not directly address the removal of the military-use restrictions, they cited AI’s rapid development and its widespread impact on society as reasons for updating Google’s policies.

They wrote, “We believe democracies should lead AI’s development, guided by core values like freedom, equality, and respect for human rights.”

The closest they came to mentioning military applications was in the following statement: “We 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.”

Unanswered Questions 

Google has not clarified how these policy changes will influence its actions going forward. The company declined to respond to inquiries from SFGATE regarding the updates.

The shift also comes amid broader changes within Google, including a Wall Street Journal report stating that the company is dropping diversity hiring targets and removing commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion from its parent company Alphabet’s annual report.

Controversial Contracts

For years, worker activists have accused Google of indirectly contributing to military operations through its “Nimbus” cloud-computing contract with the Israeli government. Although Google has maintained that Nimbus is not designed for military use, reports have raised concerns about its role in conflict.

In January 2024, The Washington Post revealed that Google had expanded sales of its AI tools to Israel’s military following Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack, though the documents obtained did not specify how the technology was being utilized.

Protests against Google’s involvement in Nimbus have intensified. In December 2023, demonstrators gathered outside Google’s San Francisco office, demanding an end to the contract.

At the time, Google spokesperson Anna Kowalczyk stated that the deal was “not directed at highly sensitive or classified military workloads relevant to weapons or intelligence services.”

However, Gaby Portnoy, head of Israel’s National Cyber Directorate, painted a different picture. At a 2024 conference, he said, “Thanks to the Nimbus public cloud, phenomenal things are happening during the fighting, these things play a significant part in the victory — I will not elaborate.”

In response to ongoing protests, Google fired dozens of employees in 2024 who had spoken out against the Nimbus contract.

What’s Next for Google and AI Ethics?

The removal of Google’s anti-military AI policies raises concerns about the company’s future direction. Will Google pursue military AI contracts? Will more ethical guidelines be quietly altered?

For now, the company remains tight-lipped, leaving employees, activists, and industry watchers to speculate on what this shift means for the future of AI and warfare.