Andrew Ng, the founder and former head of Google Brain, expressed his approval of Google's recent decision during an appearance at TechCrunch's "Military Veteran Startup Conference" in San Francisco:
"I’m very glad that Google has changed its stance," he said.
This week, Google modified its 7-year-old commitment not to use artificial intelligence for weapons or surveillance. Along with this change, Demis Hassabis, the CEO of DeepMind, wrote in a blog post that companies and governments should collaborate to build AI systems that support national security.
In 2018, thousands of Google employees protested against the company's contract with the U.S. military under the Project Maven program. This involved AI used to improve video image analysis and assist in more accurate drone strikes.
Although Ng was not working at Google at the time, he emphasized that he couldn’t understand the protests:
"Honestly, when the Project Maven issue happened... many of you are ready to shed blood to protect our country. How can an American company refuse to help our soldiers out there?"
Ng now leads an AI-focused venture studio, AI Fund, and frequently shares his views on AI policy.
He also welcomed the repeal of California's SB 1047 bill and President Biden's executive order on AI, as he believed these measures could slow down open-source AI development.
Ng further emphasized the importance of the U.S. maintaining technological competition with China, stating that AI-powered drones could completely change the battlefield.
There have been internal disagreements at Google regarding the military use of AI for years. In 2018, Meredith Whittaker, who led the Project Maven protests, stated that Google should not be involved in warfare. Other Google employees, including Nobel laureate Geoffrey Hinton and DeepMind’s chief scientist Jeff Dean, also opposed the use of AI in weapons.
In recent years, Google's and Amazon's Project Nimbus contracts with the Israeli government have also sparked protests. The provision of cloud technology to the Israeli Defense Forces has led to debates.
The Pentagon and other military organizations have increased their interest in AI technologies. The U.S. Department of Defense's AI officer has stated that investments in this area will continue to grow.
