Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG), Google’s parent company, has rewritten its AI principles, removing a previous commitment not to use AI for weapons or surveillance.
It has also dropped a rule against AI applications that are “likely to cause harm”.
In a blog post, Google executives James Manyika and Demis Hassabis defended the change, arguing that AI should support national security and that businesses should work with democratic governments to guide its development.
They said the geopolitical landscape is becoming more complex, requiring updated policies.
This shift follows Google’s move away from its original “Don’t be evil” motto, which was quietly dropped when Alphabet was formed in 2015 and replaced with “Do the right thing.”
Originally introduced in 2018, Google’s AI principles were revised as AI has become a core technology, much like the internet or mobile phones.
The company is now investing $75 billion in AI projects this year, focusing on infrastructure, research, and AI-powered search tools like its Gemini platform.