GLOBAL: GOOGLE’S SHAMEFUL DECISION TO REVERSE ITS BAN ON AI FOR WEAPONS AND SURVEILLANCE IS A BLOW FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

AI-powered technologies could fuel surveillance and lethal killing systems at a vast scale, potentially leading to mass violations and infringing on the fundamental right to privacy

Responding to Google’s decision to remove its prohibition on artificial intelligence (AI) being used for developing weapons and surveillance tools, Matt Mahmoudi, Researcher and Adviser on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, said: 

“It’s a shame that Google has chosen to set this dangerous precedent, after years of recognizing that their AI programme should not be used in ways that could contribute to human rights violations. Amnesty has got a long history of documenting the possible human rights violations posed by AI when it is used as a means of societal control, mass surveillance and discrimination. 

“AI-powered technologies could fuel surveillance and lethal killing systems at a vast scale, potentially leading to mass violations and infringing on the fundamental right to privacy. Google’s decision to reverse its ban on AI weapons enables the company to sell products that power technologies including mass surveillance, drones developed for semi-automated signature strikes, and target generation software that is designed to speed up the decision to kill. 

It’s a shame that Google has to chosen to set this dangerous precedent, after years of recognizing that their AI programme should not be used in ways that could contribute to human rights violations. Amnesty has got a long history of documenting the possible human rights violations posed by AI when it is used as a means of societal control, mass surveillance and discrimination. 

Matt Mahmoudi, Researcher and Adviser on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights

“Google must urgently reverse recent changes in AI principles and recommit to refraining from developing or selling systems that could enable serious human rights violations.  

“It is also essential that state actors establish binding regulations governing the deployment of these technologies grounded in human rights principles. The facade of self-regulation perpetuated by tech companies must not distract us from urgent need to create robust legislation that protects human rights.” 

Background 

On Tuesday, Google removed from their website the pledge promising not to pursue technologies that “cause overall harm” including weapons and surveillance systems and “technologies whose purpose contravenes widely accepted principles of international law and human rights.” Google defended the change, outlining that businesses and governments needed to work together on AI that “supports national security.” 

Amnesty International’s research has documented how facial recognition systems amplify racially discriminatory policing and threatens the right to protest.   

In 2019, Amnesty International’s research revealed how Google’s surveillance-based business model is inherently incompatible with the right to privacy and poses a threat to a range of other rights including freedom of opinion and expression, freedom of thought, and the right to equality and non-discrimination.