Andrew Ng, founder and former head of Google Brain, endorses Google’s recent move to rescind its promise not to develop AI technology for military applications.
During an onstage interview at the Military Veteran Startup Conference in San Francisco, Ng expressed his approval of Google’s revised position. “I’m very glad that Google has changed its stance,” he stated.
This change follows Google’s decision earlier this week to remove a seven-year-old commitment from its AI principles webpage, which had stipulated that the company would refrain from designing AI for weaponry or surveillance purposes. In conjunction with this removal, DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis published a blog post emphasizing the necessity for collaboration between corporations and government entities to develop AI technologies that “support national security.”
The original AI weapons pledge emerged after protests erupted in 2018 surrounding Project Maven, where a significant number of Google employees expressed their discontent with the company’s contracts with the U.S. military. These protests were fueled by the objections to Google’s AI solutions that were implemented in military programs aimed at analyzing video footage to enhance the precision of drone strikes.
Ng conveyed astonishment towards the protestors associated with Project Maven, particularly in a space filled with veterans. He posed a thought-provoking question, “Frankly, when the Project Maven thing went down… A lot of you are going out, willing to shed blood for our country to protect us all. So how the heck can an American company refuse to help our own service people that are out there, fighting for us?” This sentiment reflects a shift toward recognizing the importance of AI in fostering national defense.
Although Ng was not employed by Google during the protests, he had a significant hand in directing Google’s initiatives surrounding AI and neural networks. Currently, he operates an AI-focused venture studio and fund, frequently voicing his opinions on AI policies.
Ng later shared his relief regarding the cessation of two prominent AI regulatory efforts—California’s vetoed SB 1047 bill and the cancellation of President Biden’s AI executive order. He had consistently maintained that both policies would hinder the advancement of open-source AI in the United States.
According to Ng, the core of ensuring AI safety in the U.S. lies in maintaining a competitive edge over China in technological advancements. He remarked on how AI-powered drones have the potential to “completely revolutionize the battlefield,” stressing the imperative nature of this competition in the realm of national security.
Ng’s views resonate within a broader discourse among former high-ranking Google officials concerning military applications of AI technologies. Eric Schmidt, ex-CEO of Google, has been actively lobbying in Washington, D.C., advocating for the procurement of AI drones to counter China’s advancements. His venture, White Stork, is also set to become a supplier of these drones.
Despite Ng and Schmidt’s favorable stance towards military AI usage, the topic has long been divisive within Google’s ranks. Meredith Whittaker, now president of Signal, previously led the Project Maven protests while at Google, expressing satisfaction when the company committed not to renew its contracts related to the project. Whittaker contended that Google “should not be in the business of war.”
Other notable members of the Google community have echoed similar dissenting views. Geoffrey Hinton, a former Google AI researcher and Nobel laureate, has advocated for international governmental restrictions on the use of AI in military weapons. Moreover, Jeff Dean, who currently serves as the chief scientist of DeepMind, had signed a letter expressing opposition to the deployment of machine learning in autonomous weaponry.
In recent times, scrutiny has intensified around tech giants such as Google and Amazon for their military collaborations, particularly their Project Nimbus contracts with the Israeli government. Last year, employees from both companies organized sit-ins to protest these partnerships, which provided essential cloud computing services to the Israel Defense Forces.
The renewed focus by military organizations, including the Pentagon, to incorporate AI into their operations highlights a growing trend. According to the Department of Defense’s chief AI officer, there’s a robust desire for enhancing capabilities through AI technologies. As major tech firms invest vast sums into AI infrastructure, many are seeking to recoup those costs through engagements with military partners.
This discourse surrounding AI in warfare continues to evolve, raising crucial questions about ethics, responsibility, and the balance between national security and technological advancement. As discussions progress, the need for responsible guidelines in the deployment and development of AI technologies for military purposes becomes increasingly vital.
