Diane Greene, the head of Google Cloud, the department that won the Pentagon contract, told employees at a weekly meeting that the company has decided to break ties with the US Depart of Defence (DoD). Greene said that the contract for project Maven will not be renewed after it expires in 2019 and that the project had been terrible for Google’s image.

According to Gizmodo, the decision was motivated by the need to shut down a potential employee rebellion. Meredith Whittaker, a Google AI researcher, who had been outspoken about her disapproval of Maven, tweeted: “I am incredibly happy about this decision, and have a deep respect for the many people who worked and risked to make it happen. Google should not be in the business of war.”

Don’t be Evil Surreptitiously Dropped

In April, nearly 4,000 Google employees vented their concern in a letter protesting Google’s involvement with military project Maven. Some went further and resigned in objection as they feared that this project would lead to the company delving further into the development of military weaponry and other offensive techs.

The announcement follows a report published by The Intercept that indicates Google’s involvement with the DoD was more extensive than previously known. Google is planning to release an updated version of its code of ethics.

However, this intention seems ominous since the company’s parent company recently decided to drop its long-held motto ‘Don’t be Evil’.

Google Likely to Continue Pursuing Military Contracts

It seems unlikely the non-renewal will halt the military’s application of AI in warfare as other tech companies are more than happy to help. It also remains unclear how a decision to prohibit AI in weaponry would impact Google’s pursuit of the ten-year JEDI contract.

Furthermore, it is doubtful this signals the end of the company’s involvement with lucrative military work. Emails viewed by the New York Times revealed that the initial contract was valued at $9 million, “or a possible $15m over 18 months.”

When compared with Google’s $110.8 billion revenue in 2017 this may seem like pin money, however, Google higher-ups viewed Maven as a gateway project, which could have eventually grown into a $250m a year contract.

Tech Workers Will Voice Concerns

Google’s involvement in such a controversial project has shone a spotlight on the emerging use of AI in defense and warfare. It also reflects a growing concern among tech employees that their work is being used immorally and their willingness to leak information to the media to make their concerns heard.