Google to drop Pentagon AI contract after employees called it the 'business of war'

Google will not seek to extend its contract next year with the Department of Defense for artificial intelligence used to analyze drone video, squashing a controversial alliance that had raised alarms over the technological build-up between Silicon Valley and the military. The tech giant will stop working on its piece of the military's AI project known as Project Maven when its 18-month contract expires in March, a source familiar with Google's thinking told The Washington Post. Diane Greene, the chief executive of Google's influential cloud-computing business, told employees of the decision at an internal meeting Friday first reported by Gizmodo. Google, which declined to comment, has faced widespread public backlash and employee resignations for helping develop technological tools that could aid in warfighting. The source said Google would soon release new company principles related to the ethical uses of AI.