Employees at Google and OpenAI support Anthropic’s Pentagon stand in open letter
Over 360 employees from Google and OpenAI signed an open letter backing Anthropic's refusal to grant the Pentagon unrestricted AI access for surveillance or autonomous weapons.Summary
Over 300 Google employees and 60 OpenAI employees signed an open letter urging their respective leadership to support Anthropic in its standoff with the U.S. Department of War. Anthropic has refused the Pentagon's demand for unrestricted access to its AI technology, specifically opposing its use for domestic mass surveillance and autonomous weaponry. The signatories encouraged Google and OpenAI executives to unite and uphold these ethical boundaries against the Department of War's demands, which include threats to invoke the Defense Production Act (DPA) or label Anthropic a "supply chain risk."
While formal responses are pending, informal statements suggest sympathy; OpenAI CEO Sam Altman opposed the Pentagon threatening DPA action, and an OpenAI spokesperson confirmed the company shares Anthropic's red lines. Additionally, Google DeepMind Chief Scientist Jeff Dean publicly opposed mass surveillance, stating it violates the Fourth Amendment and chills free expression. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei reiterated the company's stance, noting the contradictory nature of the Pentagon's threats but maintaining they would not concede.
(Source：TechCrunch)