By Hassanat Adebowale

Google has announced the removal of a previous commitment from its artificial intelligence (AI) principles that had stated the company would not develop AI for weapons. This change comes as part of a broader update to the principles that guide the development and use of AI technology at Google, which are published online.

The now-removed section of the principles had pledged that Google would not pursue applications involving weapons or those that gather or use information for surveillance in ways that violate internationally accepted norms. Instead, the updated principles emphasize responsible development and deployment, including appropriate human oversight, due diligence, feedback mechanisms aligned with user goals, social responsibility, and adherence to widely accepted international law and human rights principles.

In a blog post, Google Senior Vice President James Manyika and Sir Demis Hassabis, head of Google DeepMind, explained the need to update the AI principles, which were initially published in 2018. “Billions of people are using AI in their everyday lives. AI has become a general-purpose technology, and a platform which countless organizations and individuals use to build applications,” they said.

Manyika and Hassabis noted that AI has evolved from a niche research topic to a pervasive technology akin to mobile phones and the internet, with numerous beneficial uses for society. They highlighted the importance of international collaborative efforts on common AI principles, which Google finds encouraging.

However, they also pointed out that global competition for AI leadership is occurring within an “increasingly complex geopolitical landscape.” “We believe democracies should lead in AI development, guided by core values like freedom, equality, and respect for human rights,” they stated. “And we believe that companies, governments, and organizations sharing these values should work together to create AI that protects people, promotes global growth, and supports national security.”

The debate over how to monitor and regulate powerful emerging technologies like AI continues among experts, governments, regulators, tech firms, and academics. Previous international summits have resulted in non-binding agreements to develop AI responsibly, but no binding international laws on the issue have been established.

In the past, Google’s contracts to provide technology, such as cloud services, to the U.S. and Israeli military have led to internal protests from employees. James Fisher, Chief Strategy Officer at AI firm Qlik, expressed concern over Google’s decision to remove the responsible AI policies. He emphasized the need for countries like the UK to push for more robust international governance.

“Changing or removing responsible AI policies raises concerns about how accountable organizations are for their technology and the ethical boundaries of AI deployment,” Fisher told the PA news agency. He added that while AI governance must evolve with the technology, adherence to certain standards should be non-negotiable. Fisher also noted that the UK’s position as a leader in AI safety and regulation makes it essential to establish enforceable AI governance frameworks.

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