←back to thread

Google drops pledge not to use AI for weapons or surveillance

(www.washingtonpost.com)
617 points jbegley | 4 comments | 04 Feb 25 20:28 UTC | HN request time: 0.001s | source
Show context
karaterobot ◴[04 Feb 25 20:50 UTC] No.42938411[source]▶
Is this more or less ethical than OpenAI getting a DoD contract to deploy models on the battlefield less than a year after saying that would never happen, with the excuse being well we only meant certain kinds of warfare or military purposes, obviously. I guess my question is, isn't there something more honest about an open heel-turn, like Google has made, compared to one where you maintain the fiction that you're still trying to do the right thing?
replies(2): >>42939208 #>>42942714 #
callc ◴[05 Feb 25 02:14 UTC] No.42942714[source]▶
At least Google employees will sign petitions and do things that follow a moral code.

OpenAI is sneaky slimey and headed by a psycho narcissist. Makes Pichia looks like a saint.

Ethically, it’s the same. But if someone was pointing a gun at me I’d rather have someone with some empathy behind the trigger rather than the personification of a company that bleeds high level execs and… insert many problems here

replies(1): >>42942984 #
1. danans ◴[05 Feb 25 02:41 UTC] No.42942984[source]▶
> At least Google employees will sign petitions and do things that follow a moral code.

It hardly matters what employees think anymore when the executives are weather-vanes who point in the direction of wealth and power over all else (just like the executives at their competitors).

In case you missed it, a few days back Google asked all employees who don't believe in their "mission" to voluntarily resign.

replies(1): >>42943058 #
2. CobrastanJorji ◴[05 Feb 25 02:50 UTC] No.42943058[source]▶
That's not at all what happened. One of Google's division offered a "voluntary exit" in lieu of or in addition to an upcoming layoff, and the email announcing it suggested that it could be a good option for some folks, for example people struggling or for folks who didn't like Google's direction.

That is not the same thing as asking everyone who doesn't believe in the mission to please resign.

replies(2): >>42943510 #>>42944750 #
3. LexGray ◴[05 Feb 25 03:50 UTC] No.42943510[source]▶
Now that their direction has done a 180 it is pretty much telling everyone with seniority to just quit.
4. danans ◴[05 Feb 25 06:40 UTC] No.42944750[source]▶
> for folks who didn't like Google's direction

Which rhymes pretty well with not believing in their mission. They are telling people to leave instead of trying to influence the direction from the inside.