Google bars uses of its artificial intelligence tech in weapons, unreasonable surveillance

SAN FRANCISCO – Google will not allow its artificial intelligence software to be used in weapons or unreasonable surveillance efforts, the Alphabet Inc. unit said Thursday in standards for its business decisions in the nascent field. The new restrictions could help Google management defuse months of protest by thousands of employees against the company's work with the U.S. military to identify objects in drone video. Google will pursue other government contracts, including around cybersecurity, military recruitment and search and rescue, Chief Executive Sundar Pichai said in a blog post Thursday. "We want to be clear that while we are not developing AI for use in weapons, we will continue our work with governments and the military in many other areas," he said. Breakthroughs in the cost and performance of advanced computers have begun to carry AI from research labs into industries such as defense and health.