A Google researcher says he's 'ashamed' after the company signed a Pentagon deal for classified work - Business Insider

A Google DeepMind researcher expressed shame after the company signed a deal with the Department of Defense that permits the use of Google's AI in classified settings, as reported by The Information. The researcher said they were "incredibly ashamed" of the agreement, which allows the Pentagon to deploy the technology in undisclosed operations.

The Information's report, citing anonymous sources, indicates that the deal covers the use of Google's AI models in classified contexts. Google has not issued a public statement about the agreement. The researcher's comment was made internally and later leaked to the press.

This internal outcry echoes previous employee protests at Google over military AI contracts. Google eventually declined to renew that contract. However, the current deal is for classified work, which may limit the scope of employee resistance. The deal highlights the growing relationship between big tech and the defense sector, and the tensions that arise between corporate interests and employee ethics.