Google signed a classified AI contract with the Pentagon; hundreds of employees’ signatures in opposition were ineffective

According to reports from foreign media, Google has signed an agreement with the U.S. government to allow the U.S. Department of Defense (now renamed by Trump as the Department of War) to use its artificial intelligence models for classified missions. With this decision, Google—like other tech giants such as OpenAI and xAI—has officially become a supplier of classified AI technology to the U.S. military.

(OpenAI snags the Pentagon AI contract! Sam Altman admits to a “hasty decision,” stressing it doesn’t involve large-scale surveillance or automated weapons)

Google AI models will be used for defense missions

The Information reports that this contract will allow the U.S. Department of Defense to use Google’s artificial intelligence technology for “any lawful government purpose.” These classified networks are typically used to process highly sensitive military work, covering areas such as mission planning and weapon target locking. A Google public relations spokesperson told the media that this new agreement is an amendment to an existing contract.

Weaponization of AI and safety requirements: Google has no right to veto U.S. military decisions

In response to public concerns about AI weaponization, the contract explicitly states that the AI system “does not intend to and should not be used for domestic large-scale surveillance or autonomous weapons (including target selection) without appropriate human oversight and control.” According to the report, the contract also includes a key clause stating that the agreement “does not grant any rights to control or veto lawful government combat decision-making.” In addition, the agreement further requires Google to comply with requests from the U.S. government, assisting in adjusting a company’s AI safety settings and filtering mechanisms.

(Uninstallations of ChatGPT surge threefold; OpenAI’s Pentagon collaboration raises concerns about security and surveillance )

Google’s hundreds of employees petition to reject the deal

According to reports, more than 600 Google employees (including members of its top AI lab DeepMind) joined and signed a letter to CEO Sundar Pichai, strongly urging the company to refuse to sign any classified AI projects with the military. In the letter, employees emphasized:

“We want to see AI benefit humanity, not see it used in inhumane or extremely harmful ways, including lethal autonomous weapons and large-scale surveillance.”

As of this matter, Google has not immediately responded to the public. Evidently, despite strong internal opposition from employees, the agreement to cooperate with the U.S. military ultimately still went through.

(When AI reaches nuclear-weapon-level weaponry: Ben Thompson discusses the clash between Anthropic and the Pentagon )

This article about Google and the Pentagon signing a classified AI contract, with hundreds of employees joining a petition against it, originally appeared on Chain News ABMedia.