Despite employees urging Google not to move forward, the tech giant has reportedly signed a deal with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) allowing its AI models to be used for classified work.
According to The Information, citing a source familiar with the matter, the agreement gives the DoD the ability to use Google’s AI for “any lawful government purpose.”
The deal comes just a day after more than 600 Google employees, including directors and vice presidents at the company, sent a letter to CEO Sundar Pichai demanding that Google refuse access to its AI models for use in classified military settings.
“We want to see AI benefit humanity; not to see it being used in inhumane or extremely harmful ways. This includes lethal autonomous weapons and mass surveillance but extends beyond,” the letter reads.
The news arrives as concerns continue to grow around the use of AI for surveillance and military applications. Earlier this year, Anthropic, which at the time was the only major AI company working with the Pentagon on classified systems, hit a wall in negotiations with the DoD after officials pushed for language allowing its technology to be used for “any lawful purpose.” The biggest sticking points involved potential uses tied to domestic surveillance and autonomous weapons systems.
After those talks fell apart, the Trump administration cut ties with Anthropic and designated the company as a supply chain risk. Anthropic later filed two lawsuits against the Department in response. Since then, however, President Donald Trump has said his administration has had “some very good talks” with Anthropic and suggested a future agreement restoring the company’s access to Pentagon work could still be “possible.”
In the meantime, xAI and OpenAI have also signed agreements allowing the U.S. military to use their AI models in classified environments. In a blog post, OpenAI said it maintained control over its “safety stack” and prohibited the use of its AI for mass domestic surveillance or directing lethal autonomous weapons systems.
The Information reports that Google’s agreement includes similar language, but also states that the company “does not confer any right to control or veto lawful Government operational decision-making.”
“We are proud to be part of a broad consortium of leading AI labs and technology and cloud companies providing AI services and infrastructure in support of national security. We support government agencies across both classified and non-classified projects, applying our expertise to areas like logistics, cybersecurity, diplomatic translation, fleet maintenance, and the defense of critical infrastructure,” a Google spokesperson told Gizmodo in an emailed statement. “We remain committed to the private and public sector consensus that AI should not be used for domestic mass surveillance or autonomous weaponry without appropriate human oversight.”
The DoD declined to respond to a request for comment from Gizmodo.
The deal marks a major shift for Google. Back in 2018, the company withdrew from the Pentagon’s Project Maven program following similar employee backlash. That project involved Google helping the military develop AI tools for analyzing drone footage.
But it’s not just tech workers raising alarms about AI and surveillance. Several lawmakers in recent weeks have introduced bills aimed at limiting how AI can be used with data collected under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). The law allows the government to collect communications from foreigners abroad, but it can also sweep up emails, texts, and other communications involving Americans when they contact people overseas. Critics worry AI tools could make it significantly easier for intelligence agencies to search and analyze that data at scale.
Source: Gizmodo