After Workers Revolt, Google Backs Off AI for Weapons

Once upon a time, a job at Google was the dream of every starry-eyed techie looking to make big bucks and not be evil in the process. Some 17 years after minting its now-infamous'Don't be evil' motto, some engineers are shunning the tech giant for its Maven project, a collaboration with the Department of Defense (DOD) to provide artificial intelligence for analyzing drone footage. Now, Google is backing away from military deals and alienating sought-after talent. After details of the Maven project, more than 4,000 Googlers signed a letter demanding that CEO Sundar Pichai ditch warfare-related technology. "Amid growing fears of biased and weaponized AI, Google is already struggling to keep the public's trust," the letter read.