On February 4, Google updated its “AI principles,” a document detailing how the company would and wouldn’t use artificial intelligence in its products and services. The old version was split into two sections: “Objectives for AI applications” and “AI applications we will not pursue,” and it explicitly promised not to develop AI weapons or surveillance tools.
The update was first noticed by The Washington Post, and the most glaring difference is the complete disappearance of any “AI applications we will not pursue” section. In fact, the language of the document now focuses solely on “what Google will do,” with no promises at all about “what Google won’t do.”
Why is this significant? Well, if you say you won’t pursue AI weapons, then you can’t pursue AI weapons. It’s pretty cut and dry. However, if you say you will employ “rigorous design, testing, monitoring, and safeguards to mitigate unintended or harmful outcomes and avoid unfair bias,” then you can pursue whatever you want and just argue that you employed rigorous safeguards.
Similarly, when Google says it will implement “appropriate human oversight,” there’s no way for us to know what that means. Google is the one who decides exactly what appropriate human oversight is. This is a problem because it means the company isn’t actually making any promises or giving us any solid information. It’s just opening things up so it can move around more freely — while still trying to give the impression of social responsibility.
Google’s involvement in the U.S. Department of Defense’s Project Maven in 2017 and 2018 is what led to the original AI principles document. Thousands of its employees protested the military project, and in response, Google did not renew the agreement and promised to stop pursuing AI weapons.
However, fast-forward a few years and most of Google’s competitors are engaging in these kinds of projects, with Meta, OpenAI, and Amazon all allowing some military use of their AI tech. With the increased flexibility of its updated AI principles, Google is effectively free to get back in the game and make some military money. It will be interesting to see if Google’s employees will have anything to say about this in the near future.
Microsoft is one of the early backers of OpenAI, and has repeatedly hawked products like Copilot by touting their access to the latest ChatGPT models.
ChatGPT is becoming more accessible to the masses. Its ChatGPT Search feature is now available without having to log in to the popular chatbot. Parent
We’re now into the third year of the AI boom, and industry leaders are showing no signs of slowing down, pushing out newer and (presumably) more capab
OpenAI is planning a fascinating marketing push by introducing its first TV commercial during the 59th Super Bowl this coming Sunday, February 9th, ac
After backlash over removing the Menu key, Microsoft is possibly bringing it back in a later build—partially—to Windows keyboards, restoring some of i
LiveNOW from FOXJD Vance took to the stage at the Paris AI Action Summit on Wednesday declaring that, “the United States of America is the leader in A
We are a dynamic information platform dedicated to delivering timely, relevant, and reliable content across a broad spectrum of topics. From the latest in technology and business to lifestyle, health, and global affairs, we aim to keep our readers informed and inspired.
Our editorial team is committed to maintaining high standards of accuracy and clarity, ensuring that every article provides value and context in an ever-changing world. We believe in the importance of accessible knowledge and strive to make complex topics understandable for everyone.
Whether you're here to stay updated on current events, explore thought-provoking features, or simply learn something new, our goal is to offer a trustworthy source of information that meets the needs of a diverse and curious audience.