DeepMind Employees Call on Google to Cancel Military Contracts

Google DeepMind employees have signed a letter urging the company to end its contracts with military organizations, as reported by Time. Drafted on May 16, the letter has garnered approximately 200 signatures, representing about five percent of DeepMind’s workforce.

For context, DeepMind is a prominent AI division within Google. The letter expresses concerns that military contracts contradict the company’s own ethical AI guidelines. Employees raised alarms over internal discussions suggesting that DeepMind’s technology may be sold to military entities through cloud contracts, including partnerships with the U.S. and Israeli militaries. These contracts reportedly grant access to AI services developed by DeepMind.

Crucially, the letter does not focus on any specific military organization; rather, it asserts that the issue is “not about the geopolitics of any particular conflict.” Since 2021, various reports have unveiled the extent of technology supplied by Google, alongside Amazon, to the Israeli government through a partnership known as Project Nimbus. This is not the first time Google employees have protested against the use of their work for contentious military purposes; earlier this year, the company dismissed numerous staff members who opposed Project Nimbus.

The letter emphasizes that involvement with military and weapon manufacturing undermines Google’s leadership in ethical AI and contradicts its mission statement and AI principles. This is particularly significant given Google’s former slogan, “don’t be evil.”

The employees are requesting DeepMind’s leaders to restrict military access to its AI technology and establish a new governance body to prevent future military applications. However, according to four unnamed employees, Google has yet to provide a substantive response to the letter. One expressed frustration, stating, “We have received no meaningful response from leadership.”

In response to Time’s inquiry, Google asserted that it adheres to its AI principles, claiming the contract with the Israeli government “is not directed at highly sensitive, classified, or military workloads related to weapons or intelligence services.” Nonetheless, scrutiny surrounding this partnership has intensified in recent months.

Since acquiring DeepMind in 2014, Google promised that its AI technology would never be utilized for military or surveillance purposes. While DeepMind initially enjoyed a degree of independence, the emerging AI landscape has altered that balance. The lab's leaders have sought greater autonomy since 2021 but have faced resistance from the parent company.