Google sent a memo to staff affirming its decision to extend a Pentagon AI contract, despite a wave of internal dissent. Kent Walker, Alphabet’s president of global affairs, reminded employees that the company has long supplied defence agencies and will continue to back national security “thoughtfully and responsibly.” Over 560 workers signed an open letter urging CEO Sundar Pichai to abandon the deal.

The new agreement, signed on Monday, expands an existing $200 million contract that already provides the Department of Defense with Google’s AI tools for classified missions. While the terms state the technology “is not intended for” domestic mass surveillance or autonomous weapons without human oversight, they also allow use for “any lawful governmental purpose,” leaving employees uneasy about oversight.

Google’s stance marks a reversal from its 2018 exit from Project Maven, when staff protests forced the firm to drop a drone‑strike AI program. By aligning with peers such as OpenAI and xAI, the company signals that defence contracts are now standard revenue streams for top AI labs. The episode underscores growing tension between talent retention and the pursuit of lucrative government business.