Google’s work with the Defense Department has ignited a new controversy within and outside of the company. The Pentagon contract has sharply divided Google’s workforce, led to heated staff meetings and even prompted some employees to take a stand and resign employment.
The AI Lab in Google Cloud team is the company’s most important verticals. Google’s first AI contract with the Pentagon has damaged Google’s reputation both within and outside the company. Fei-Fei Li, a top artificial intelligence researcher who holds two demanding jobs, one as the head of Stanford’s AI lab and second as the Chief Scientist for AI at Google Could.
In an email written by Dr. Li to a colleague, she writes, “Avoid at COSTS any mention or implication of AI. Weaponized AI is probably one of the most sensitized topics of AI — if not THE most. This is red meat to the media to find ways to damage Google.” The company’s involvement in Maven program has touched off an existential crisis for Google.
The relationship with Defense Department helped Google in getting a share of the contract for Maven program. The project uses AI to interpret video images, which can help in improving the targeting of drone strikes. The involvement in the development of AI-powered weapons has fueled heated meetings and discussions within Google.