‘Human lives are already being lost’: Open letter signed by hundreds of Google employees requests CEO reject ‘unethical and dangerous’ US military AI use
Over 600 Google employees have signed an open letter urging CEO Sundar Pichai to reject any military use of the company's AI technology, citing ethical concerns and potential harm. The letter warns that AI systems can centralize power, make mistakes, and endanger civilian lives, especially in conflict zones. Employees stress their responsibility to prevent unethical applications, referencing past changes to Google's AI principles that previously restricted such uses. The move follows similar controversies at OpenAI and Anthropic over Pentagon AI contracts.
- ▪More than 600 Google employees signed an open letter calling on CEO Sundar Pichai to prohibit military use of Google's AI technology.
- ▪The letter argues that AI can centralize power, make errors, and put human lives and civil liberties at risk.
- ▪Google previously had AI principles banning use in surveillance or weapons, but those clauses were removed in February 2025.
- ▪The employee pushback follows Anthropic's refusal of a Pentagon contract over autonomous weapons and surveillance concerns.
- ▪OpenAI faced criticism for initially allowing potential military use of its models, later amending its contract with usage restrictions.
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Pro Security ‘Human lives are already being lost’: Open letter signed by hundreds of Google employees requests CEO reject ‘unethical and dangerous’ US military AI use News By Benedict Collins published 28 April 2026 Google employees do not want its AI used for military purposes When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Shutterstock/Poetra.RH) Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Google employees sign open letter to CEO over concerns of military AI useAI developers do not want their technology used for 'classified purposes'Google is currently negotiating a contract with the PengatonOver 600 Google employees have signed a letter calling on CEO Sundar Pichai to reject any uses of its AI technology for military purposes.The open letter highlights the serious ethical concerns the staff have, stating, “Human lives are already being lost and civil liberties put at risk at home and abroad from misuses of the technology we are playing a key role in building.”“As people working on AI, we know that these systems can centralize power and that they do make mistakes,” the letter said. “We feel that our proximity to this technology creates a responsibility to highlight and prevent its most unethical and dangerous uses.”Article continues below You may like Google and OpenAI staff urge limits on military uses of AI ‘The biggest losers in all of this are everyday people and civilians in conflict zones’: OpenAI is filling the gap left by Anthropic — but almost left in the same loopholes for mass domestic surveillance OpenAI robotics chief resigns over Pentagon AI deal Another ‘supply chain risk’ designation?In March, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei rejected allowing the Pentagon to use the Claude model over fears they could be used for “mass domestic surveillance” and “fully autonomous weapons,” leading to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to declare the company a “supply chain risk.”Shortly after, OpenAI stepped up to fill the gap left by Anthropic, with CEO Sam Altman facing both internal and external criticism over his seeming willingness to allow military use of ChatGPT.The new OpenAI contract with the Pentagon was full of holes that would have allowed the same use of ChatGPT that Anthropic feared for Claude. The contract was amended to state that OpenAI’s models would not be used for “deliberate tracking, surveillance, or monitoring of U.S. persons or nationals, including through the procurement or use of commercially acquired personal or identifiable information.”Shortly after, Sam Altman told his employees that the Pentagon has said OpenAI does not “get to make operational decisions” on how the military uses AI technologies. window.sliceComponents = window.sliceComponents || {}; externalsScriptLoaded.then(() => { window.reliablePageLoad.then(() => { var componentContainer = document.querySelector("#slice-container-newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-HH2CpSc974dXKmDUPNEsrb"); if (componentContainer) { var data = {"layout":"inbodyContent","header":"Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter","tagline":"Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed!","formFooterText":"By submitting your information you agree to the <a…
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