Hindustan Surkhiyan Desk:Google workers on Friday got word that the internet titan will retreat from a deal to help the US military use artificial intelligence to analyze drone video following an outcry from staff, according to reports.
The collaboration with the US Department of Defense was said to have sparked rebellion inside the California-based company.
An internal petition calling for Google to stay out of “the business of war” garnered thousands of signatures, and some workers reportedly quit to protest a collaboration with the military.
The New York Times and tech news website Gizmodo cited unnamed sources as saying that a Google’s cloud team executive announced told employees on Friday that the company would not seek to renew the controversial contract after it expires next year.
The contract was reported to be worth less than $10 million to Google, but was thought to have potential to lead to more lucrative technology collaborations with the military.
Google did not respond to a request for comment.
Google has remained mum about Project Maven, which reportedly uses machine learning and engineering talent to distinguish people and objects in drone videos for the Defense Department.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation, an internet rights group, and the International Committee for Robot Arms Control (ICRAC) were among those who have weighed in with support.
