Google drops promise not to use AI for weapons or surveillance tools

The update removes a key ethical guideline as Google shifts focus to AI and national security priorities.

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Alphabet Inc., the parent company of Google, has removed a key commitment from its artificial intelligence (AI) ethical guidelines, dropping a previous pledge not to pursue technologies that could “cause or are likely to cause overall harm,” including weapons development and surveillance tools.

The update, came just before Alphabet reported lower-than-expected earnings, triggering an 8% drop in its stock price.

Shift in AI Ethics Guidelines
Alphabet's revised AI principles no longer explicitly prohibit developing AI for harmful applications. Demis Hassabis, Google's AI chief, defended the shift, citing evolving global security concerns.

“We believe that companies, governments, and organisations sharing these values should work together to create AI that protects people, promotes global growth, and supports national security,” Hassabis said.

He and James Manyika, Alphabet’s senior vice president for technology and society, argued that democracies should lead the AI race.

“As global competition for AI leadership increases, we believe democracies should lead in AI development,” they wrote in a company blog post. “It should be guided by freedom, equality, and respect for human rights.”

The decision marks a departure from Google's historic stance on AI ethics.

When Google first floated its shares, its motto was “Don’t be evil”, but this was later downgraded to a corporate mantra in 2009.

The phrase was omitted from Alphabet’s code of ethics when the parent company was created in 2015.

AI's Growing Role in National Security
The announcement reflects a broader debate about the governance and risks of AI, particularly in military applications.

Stuart Russell, a British computer scientist, has warned of the dangers of autonomous weapon systems and called for global regulations.

In their blog post, Hassabis and Manyika pointed to the rapid expansion of AI since Google first outlined its AI principles in 2018.

“Billions of people are using AI in their everyday lives. AI has become a general-purpose technology and a platform which countless organisations and individuals use to build applications,” they wrote.

“It has moved from a niche research topic in the lab to a technology that is becoming as pervasive as mobile phones and the internet itself.”

Financial Pressures and AI Investment
Alphabet’s fourth-quarter earnings report on Tuesday showed $96.5 billion in revenue, slightly below analysts' forecasts of $96.67 billion, primarily due to slower growth in its Google Cloud business.

Google Cloud remains behind Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure in market share.

“Cloud’s disappointing results suggest that AI-powered momentum might be beginning to wane just as Google’s closed model strategy is called into question by DeepSeek,” said Evelyn Mitchell-Wolf, a senior analyst at eMarketer.

Alphabet plans to spend $75 billion on capital expenditures in 2025, focusing on AI infrastructure and expansion as competition with Microsoft-backed OpenAI, Amazon, and Meta intensifies.