Google Director resigns, says company has lost its moral compass over AI policies

New Delhi: Google’s tech centrists have let their own leaders stray too far from being good people, claims entrepreneur Rene Mayrhofer, who helped design Android security and is currently head of the platform security group at Google. His departure has raised ethical concerns within the tech sector on the future of AI and the use of big tech firms in such military research.

Mayrhofer spoke about his decision in a letter dismissing Google’s “moral compass.” He cited his inability to side by side the company’s growing involvement in various military projects in the letter, particularly its own use of AI for drone manufacturing. Some of the choices the company has made recently, notably its expanding foray into AI-based drone manufacturing, are choices he can no longer be associated with, he clarified in the letter. Recently, reports say that Google has entered into an agreement that would enable the U.S. Department of Defense to have access to some of Google’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology for classified government research.

Google’s “open culture” and its responsibility for its technology, its commitments to the environment and its own culture being part of this kind of company, he said, was a very exciting opportunity for him in 2017. He felt that the firm would make people to think about the decisions they were making and would enable them to join in key discussions.

But “there have been developments” over the years, though, Mayrhofer said. He stated that decisions are now made by top management but not sufficiently transparently, without a sufficient degree of debate. He also lambasted Google over some of its previous ethical stands on AI. He highlighted, especially, the updates to the firm’s principles on AI: pre-doped on weapons and surveillance-related uses.

Yet another concern raised by Mayrhofer was the environmental impact of AI. The quantity of energy needed to power sophisticated AI systems has made it difficult for Google to live up to some of its carbon-neutral commitments, he said. The company had undergone a dramatic change is its priorities in recent years, he said.

Austria-based professor and security researcher Mayrhofer called himself “a pacifist” and stated that he does not want to participate in projects that might be used for warfare. He feels that tech firms need to take responsibility for their actions and the ethical implications that might come from them, particularly in the era of strong AI systems.

Mayrhofer said he’ll be leaving Google at the end of his notice period in August, but will not continue to work on AI-related initiatives related to military projects. His resignation furthers the discourse on the development and usage of AI, especially regarding national security and defense.