Two Google DeepMind staff resign over military AI work

Two Google DeepMind employees have resigned over the company’s military AI work, the BBC reports, bringing fresh attention to oversight of a deal that allows its technology to be used in classified Pentagon settings. [1]

Research engineer Sofia Liguori resigned in the week of 21 October; AI researcher Andreas Kirsch had left earlier that month. The BBC said it had also spoken to other workers who were leaving or considering leaving, but did not give a total for resignations. [1]

Speaking in a personal capacity, Liguori said Google’s growing push for AI systems in military operations made her “feel ashamed to work at Google”. She said the company’s work with the US and Israeli militaries had led her to lose faith in its stated ethical values. [1]

Kirsch told the BBC he believed Google’s oversight was insufficient for safely deploying AI in military and classified settings. In his view, the company appeared to have limited visibility into how the Pentagon used its technology and no right to control or veto that use. [1]

Google confirmed to Dutch broadcaster NOS in April that its Gemini models could be used in the Pentagon’s classified environment. The BBC reports that the agreement permits “any lawful government purpose”, but says the models “should not be used for domestic mass surveillance or autonomous weapons (including target selection) without appropriate human oversight and control”. [2] [1]

A Google spokesperson told the BBC that the company follows a consistent process for reviewing public-sector contracts against its use policies and AI principles. The spokesperson also pointed to channels for staff to raise concerns and policies against retaliation. Google’s published principles call for appropriate human oversight and alignment with international law and human rights. [1] [3]