Google has discarded its self-imposed ban on using AI in weapons, a decision that drew both praise and criticism. It also underscores how the Pentagon—not any single company—must act as the primary regulator on how the U.S. military uses AI in combat.

Google is joining a crowded field of AI-focused firms that are collaborating to shape Pentagon AI use, and brings with it unique cloud and AI capabilities. Google’s decision, and the emergence of other rival players in the AI defense space, shows how much sentiment in Silicon Valley has changed to allow collaboration with the military. 

“Military and surveillance tech aren’t bad or unethical as such. Instead, supporting national security and doing so in the right way is incredibly important. And supporting national security is, in fact, arguably the ethical thing to do," says Johannes Himmelreich, assistant professor of public administration and international affairs. 

Google’s original ban was “probably was overly zealous to begin with,” Himmelreich says.

Read more in the Defense One article, “What Google’s return to defense AI means.”