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This is bigger than Google. Microsoft, Amazon, Facebook, Oracle, Palantir, et al, will take this contract next. Google isn't the only company that can run DNNs
by cromwellian 8y ago
This is bigger than Google. Microsoft, Amazon, Facebook, Oracle, Palantir, et al, will take this contract next. Google isn't the only company that can run DNNs to do image classification, it's commodified now. The DoD is going to pay money to get this software, it's inevitable, just like they got the Hydrogen bomb, and ICBMs, and biological weapons. Enough people exist out there who are smart and willing to work on it for money, only it won't leak, and won't be public.
The public needs to take this event as a canary in the coal mine. Congress needs to limit AI use in the military. If it took Google to scare everyone into finally regulating this, than so be it, but there needs to be transparency and oversight and limits imposed by democracies on this, just like regulations on chemical and biological weapons.
Perhaps we need an "AI Weapons Proliferation treaty" or something. But the future of war is automated drone killing machines, they're just way cheaper to built and deploy and less risky. You can build hundreds of automated drones for the cost of one B-2 bomber, and mount a saturation offense against any defender.
People need to widen their gaze from fixation on Silicon Valley. The problem is in Washington, the problem is a $700 billion defense budget, a war on terror, and extrajudicial drone assassinations. Everyday people on HackerNews are complaining about ad tracking, navel gazing their industry, meanwhile, they silently accept their own governments tracking people and killing them with hellfire missiles. (I get that people feel helpless with respect to resisting the military industrial complex and feel they can have some say over an industry they're more closing associated with, but I'm pretty sure there's plenty of HN readers who actually favor the US military empire)
- ocdtrekkie 8y agoPresumably, a talented software engineer has literally hundreds of other options besides Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Facebook, Oracle, and Palantir though, right? I agree we need strict regulations on the use of AI in the military. It carries the same risks as nuclear weapons and chemical and biological weapons for disproportionate harm, but without the extreme cost. "I'm pretty sure there's plenty of HN readers who actually favor the US military empire" From the comments of many of the people defending Google's involvement in Project Maven, I am quite confident, unfortunately, that you are correct there as well.
- jacksmith21006 8y agoTalented engineers do have a choice but Google has been the most desired place to work for a very long time. In the last 10 years they have been the #1 place to work 6 of the last 10 years. http://fortune.com/best-companies/2017/ http://fortune.com/best-companies/2017/ http://reviews.greatplacetowork.com/2016-fortune-100-best-companies-to-work-for-list http://reviews.greatplacetowork.com/2016-fortune-100-best-co... http://fortune.com/best-companies/2015/ http://fortune.com/best-companies/2015/ http://fortune.com/best-companies/2014/ http://fortune.com/best-companies/2014/ So in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 it has been Google. That does not just happen. Plus we have not had anyone else do it 2 years in a row let alone 6 straight years! Plus a lot of engineers want to work someplace that is interested in the greater good. So do things like what Google did in China with leaving instead of doing what was morally wrong for a buck. Also a lot of the top engineers want to publish and share and Google allows their engineers to do this. Google does tons of open source also which is attractive to engineers. The younger people are much more into companies interested in the greater good then just to make a buck. It is why you see Google on top of the list so often and a company like Microsoft way down on the list and do not think has ever been a top company?