Despite employees urging Google not to move forward , the tech giant has reportedly signed a deal with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) allowing its AI models to be used for classified work. According to The Information , citing a source familiar with the matter, the agreement gives the DoD the ability to use Google’s AI for “any lawful government purpose.” The deal comes just a day after more than 600 Google employees, including directors and vice presidents at the company, sent a letter to CEO Sundar Pichai demanding that Google refuse access to its AI models for use in classified military settings. “We want to see AI benefit humanity; not to see it being used in inhumane or extremely harmful ways. This includes lethal autonomous weapons and mass surveillance but extends beyond,” the letter reads. The news arrives as concerns continue to grow around the use of AI for surveillance and military applications.…