Spearheaded by big tech and venture-backed startups, AI has become the new superweapon for global power.
Inputs that matter: "If tech companies, including Google and Amazon, are engaged in business activities that could impact Palestinians in Gaza, or indeed Palestinians living under apartheid in general, they must abide by their responsibility to carry out heightened human rights due diligence along the entirety of the lifecycle of their products," said Matt Mahmoudi, a researcher at Amnesty International.
- "This must include how they plan to prevent, mitigate, and provide redress for possible human rights violation, particularly in light of mandatory relationships with weapons manufacturers, which contribute to the risk of genocide."
- An April 3 report by +972 Magazine found that the Israeli military was using Google Photos' facial recognition to map, identify, and create a "hit list" of Palestinians in Gaza; Google would not say whether it allowed this use of its software.
The opportunity: Google offers Palantir Foundry access to its cloud customers.
- The Israeli military extensively uses Palantir software for targeting in Gaza, veteran national security journalist James Bamford reported recently in The Nation.
- Foundry is AI software used by military forces, including U.S. Special Operations Command and the U.K. Royal Navy.
- Palantir has been an outspoken champion of the Israeli military's invasion of Gaza. "Certain kinds of evil can only be fought with force," the company posted on its social media during the first week of the conflict. "Palantir stands with Israel."
Zoom in: Both Google and Amazon say their work is guided by the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, which seeks to "to prevent or mitigate adverse human rights impacts that are directly linked to their operations, products or services by their business relationships, even if they have not contributed to those impacts."
- Michael Sfard, an Israeli human rights attorney, told The Intercept that these guidelines dictate that Google and Amazon conduct human rights due diligence and vet the Israeli government's use of their technology.
- "Without such a deep and serious process," Sfard said, "they can be seen as complicit in Israeli crimes."
Between the lines: The Intercept confirms that Google offers advanced artificial intelligence through its controversial "Project Nimbus" contract.
- The Israeli Finance Ministry announced in April 2021 the contract for a $1.2 billion cloud computing system jointly built by Google and Amazon.
- "The former head of Security for Google Enterprise—who now heads Oracle's Israel branch—has publicly argued that one of Nimbus's goals is preventing the German government from requesting data on the Israel Defence Forces for the International Criminal Court," said Jack Poulson, director of the watchdog group Tech Inquiry.
Follow the money: The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a $95 billion legislative package for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.
- While much of that money ultimately goes to traditional defense contractors such as RTX Corporation (NYSE: RTX), formerly Raytheon, and General Dynamics Corp (NYSE: GD), who are both trading at record highs, funds will also funnel to Big Tech and the rising need for AI on the battlefield.
- U.S. venture capital investment in defense startups has doubled in four years.
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