Ex-Defense Official ‘Alarmed’ About Google Retreat From AI Plan

No One Is Sure How Good, or Bad, AI Will Get
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A former top U.S. Defense Department official said Tuesday he was "alarmed" by a recent decision by Alphabet Inc.’s Google to withdraw from work on a department initiative applying artificial intelligence tools to analyzing drone footage.

"I fully agree that it might wind up with us taking a shot, but it could easily save lives," said Deputy Defense Secretary Robert O. Work, who started the initiative known as "Project Maven." "I believe the Google employees created an enormous moral hazard for themselves."