From enticing tech corporations with billions in direct development incentives contained in the CHIPs Act, to swooping in and hiring prominent civilian executives who head AI development at major companies, the U.S. government won the war of whether Silicon Valley would be drafted to weaponize AI.

A new substack article by journalist Jack Poulson, in covering the latest Pentagon move, hiring former Google Cloud AI head Andrew Moore as an advisor to CENTCOM on AI, Robotics, and Cloud Computing, tells a longer story of how the U.S. government shut down opposition of tech company employees to military involvement.

Poulson chronicles how the government aggressively responded in 2018 when a group of Google employees mounted protests against the company participating in developing drone warfare technology.

The government enticed the tech industry into participating in a National Security Commission on AI, or NSCAI.

By enlisting tech heads in the development of Defense Department “AI Principles” regarding weaponized AI, the Pentagon blunted criticisms.

Meanwhile, bargains hammered out by the commission between the military and tech honchos led to huge incentives and subsidies to the tech sector, with strings attached, of course.

Google was awarded a 9 billion contract in 2019 to help the Pentagon implement its Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability.

And 2021’s Biden Administration “CHIPS Act” pushed tens of billions to the tech sector, predicated on cooperation with “national security” goals. 

Poulson’s work can be read here. (“On the former head of Google Cloud AI joining U.S. Central Command,” 19 Apr 2023.)

For related reading, see:

• “AI BEING TRAINED TO FIGHT FOR WOKEISM AND WAR” (13 Dec 2022)
• “DARPA WANTS TO LEAD “THIRD WAVE” OF WEAPONIZED AI” (7 Jun 2022)
• “‘SPACE CHIEF’S’ VISION OF FUTURE WARS” (4 May 2021)