In the aftermath of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, a Google employee from its cloud division pushed for enhanced access to the company’s AI technology for Israel’s Defense Ministry, according to documents reviewed by The Washington Post.
The documents reveal that, in the early weeks of the Gaza war, Google employees facilitated Israel’s military in obtaining access to the company’s advanced AI tools. This occurred despite Google’s public attempts to distance itself from Israel’s national security operations following employee protests against a cloud computing contract with the Israeli government.
The internal records highlight Google’s direct support of Israel’s Defense Ministry and military, even as the company faced employee backlash. Last year, Google dismissed at least 50 employees who opposed the Nimbus contract, which they feared could enable Google’s technology to support military and intelligence programs that might harm Gaza Arabs.
WATCH: Protesters outside Google offices in Boston to protest Google’s complicity in the Israeli genocide in Gaza.
Google recently sacked an employee for speaking out against Project Nimbus, the $1.2bn deal with Google and Amazon to supply Israel with technology services. pic.twitter.com/Rf7n4qS0dZ
— Khalissee (@Kahlissee) March 14, 2024
Project Nimbus is a cloud computing project of the Israeli government and the IDF. While the exact objectives of Project Nimbus remain undisclosed, Google Cloud Platform’s AI tools could equip Israel’s military and security agencies with capabilities such as facial recognition, automated image categorization, object tracking, and sentiment analysis. These technologies have previously been utilized by US Customs and Border Protection for border surveillance.
One document obtained by The Post reveals that a Google employee cautioned the company that if it didn’t expedite granting more access, the Israeli military would likely turn to Google’s rival Amazon, which also collaborates with Israel’s government under the Nimbus contract.
Another document, dated mid-November 2023, shows the employee expressing gratitude to a colleague for assisting with the Israeli Defense Ministry’s request. However, the documents do not specify how the Israeli Defense Ministry intended to use Google’s AI technology or its potential role in military operations.
The documents obtained by The Post do not reveal how Israel’s military utilized Google’s AI capabilities. However, the technology could be applied to various tasks, such as automating administrative functions that are distant from the front lines.
The IDF has long utilized AI, but the emergence of Generative AI – artificial intelligence that creates – marks a new frontier. The military is harnessing these advanced capabilities to enhance its operational effectiveness, as well as improve administrative processes.
The IDF’s ICT Division oversees three primary dimensions: digital, cyber, and spectrum. These dimensions, along with land, sea, air, and space, form the full spectrum of warfare. The “spectrum” refers to communications and electromagnetic waves, which, although invisible, are critical to modern warfare. Without this infrastructure, combat would be impossible.
According to the IDF, digital advancements have transformed all aspects of warfare, becoming the backbone of both operational and administrative functions. One significant change is the IDF’s enhanced operational efficiency. The military can now achieve far more with fewer resources and at a faster pace. For example, it can carry out more precise bombings or quickly confirm enemy positions and respond with greater speed.
