In May 2024, nearly 200 Google DeepMind employees, representing around 5% of the division, signed a letter urging the company to end its contracts with military organizations. This concern, as reported by *Time*, revolves around the fear that their AI technology is being utilized in warfare.

The letter clarifies that these concerns are not tied to the geopolitics of any specific conflict but raises issues regarding Google’s defense contract with the Israeli military, known as Project Nimbus. The employees highlight how the Israeli military employs AI for mass surveillance and targeting in its bombing campaigns in Gaza. Additionally, Israeli weapons firms are required by the government to purchase cloud services from companies like Google and Amazon.

This situation has underscored growing tension within Google, particularly between its AI division, DeepMind, and its cloud services, which cater to military clients. Earlier this year, at Google’s I/O conference, pro-Palestine protesters demonstrated against the company’s involvement in these contracts.

DeepMind’s involvement in military projects conflicts with commitments made when Google acquired the company in 2014. At that time, DeepMind’s leaders insisted that their AI technology would not be used for military or surveillance purposes.

The letter calls for Google’s leadership to investigate these concerns, cut off military access to DeepMind’s AI technology, and establish a governance body to prevent such future uses. Despite these appeals, *Time* reports that Google has yet to provide a meaningful response.

This incident reflects a broader concern among AI professionals about the use of technology in warfare, pushing some to speak out against its ethical implications.