DeepMind Employees Rebel Over Digital Warfare Ties

August 26, 2024

A group of around 5% of DeepMind’s workforce, approximately 100 employees, have expressed concern over the company’s involvement in digital warfare through its AI technology. The signatories, who wrote a letter to Google on May 16, argue that the company’s contracts with governments, including the Israeli military under Project Nimbus, violate Google’s own AI Principles. These principles state that the company will not pursue AI applications that cause “overall harm” or contribute to weaponry and surveillance. The employees are calling for a review of DeepMind’s technology being used by military clients and the establishment of a new governance body to oversee its use.