Android engineer leaves Google amid concerns over defense partnerships

[Alfonso Maruccia]

Editor's take: Google has long moved away from its "don't be evil" motto, instead deepening its involvement with US defense-related initiatives. The company is reportedly providing expanded access to its AI services for the Department of Defense, including programs associated with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. The shift has reportedly prompted some longtime engineers with ethical objections to leave the company.

René Mayrhofer, a principal software engineer for Android Security and self-described pacifist and privacy advocate, has resigned from Google. The engineer had worked at Mountain View since 2017 but said he had become increasingly dissatisfied with what he sees as the company's departure from its previously stated – and repeatedly reaffirmed – moral principles.

In a personal farewell note sent to colleagues and obtained by Business Insider, Mayrhofer said he felt he had no choice but to leave, arguing that Google had completely lost its moral compass. The note, sent on May 18, also criticizes the company's leadership over its decision to move away from carbon-neutral goals, citing the high energy demands required to run Gemini's AI models.

Even worse, the letter continues, "the current Google management is now signing deals with the US Ministry of War - where 'any lawful purpose' by the current US government has already been repeatedly demonstrated to be in violation of international laws."

Mayrhofer has since confirmed the authenticity of the letter, saying he no longer feels able to work for a company involved in military AI applications. He added that there are still "very good" people at Google, but argued that their influence has become increasingly marginal compared to the company's overall direction.

Google debuted on Wall Street in 2004, promoting its now-famous "Don't be evil" motto as part of its outsider image in the tech industry. The phrase was later incorporated into the company's code of conduct, where it remained – at least in some form – until 2018. Today, the Alphabet-owned company is increasingly involved in AI applications with military use cases and is working with the Pentagon on classified projects.

Google's evolving stance has proven controversial, with some employees expressing opposition to its defense-related contracts. Mayrhofer noted that Google offered him a job in 2017, but said the company has changed significantly since then. He argued that executive leadership is now approving military-related deals with limited internal discussion or communication.

"I am a pacifist, and have long ago decided that I will not personally work for militaries engaging in offensive warfare," Mayrhofer said in his letter. Google's willingness to "proactively harm people is not something that I can or will be involved with."

The engineer said that, unlike many of his colleagues, he is not financially dependent on Google. In addition to his work on Android, Mayrhofer is also a professor at Johannes Kepler University in Austria. He said he has previously been able to contribute to Android security while maintaining his academic position in the European Union. Now, however, he fears that some of Google's AI products could be used for mass surveillance, including against European citizens.

"I am quite sad that it had to come to this, and desperately hope Google management re-discovers its moral compass," Mayrhofer's said in his letter.

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Android engineer leaves Google amid concerns over defense partnerships

 

[m4a4]

What a soft and naive fool. Does he honestly think that the likes of China are just sitting on their hands not developing warfare AI because it's "the right thing to do" too?

I can see pushback for tech that would strip away citizens privacy, but with tech keeping the military cutting edge? They're better off not having him if he can't put things into a realistic perspective.

 

[pnntmp]

I have no idea why the mental anguish of some wokester deserves an article.

Refusing involvement with US defense is a sure sign of a broken moral compass, it's good news that big tech, incl. Google, is healing.

 

[GeoffreyA]

When Google was new, all the world seemed bright, and one believes they honestly held to "don't be evil." But they've long fallen from that lofty perch and have no compunction as long as profit is involved.

But, like their fellow tech corporations, it's about the betterment of mankind:

 

[NumberNine]

Google's job is to make money, not ethics. That mask came off a long time ago. They will do whatever will increase the profits.

 

[SRB]

As usual, this is much more about politics that ethics or "evil". First, we do not live in a silo, U.S. defense decisions are based more on what others are doing more than they are "What would we like to do?" Next, wouldn't this be a happier, nicer world if is was always easy to make decisions and "not fight"? This country seems to pillory itself on a constant basis for mistakes, often by Idealistic people who demand perfection, especially in defense and race issues. The irony is that this is one of the few countries in which they CAN voice their protest, while the tout the virtues of countries that would arrest them for it.

The U.S. has NEVER been about good and evil, it aspires to a goal of doing what will preserve our lives and freedoms as best they can, warts and all.

This gentleman in the article should find a country that will welcome his services under his morals.

Keep in mind, a lot of people will promise him this, this is the only country where he can be assured he can follow his values, while trashing the company (in this instance) and country freely.

 

[ScottSoapbox]

What a soft and naive fool. Does he honestly think that the likes of China are just sitting on their hands not developing warfare AI because it's "the right thing to do" too?

I can see pushback for tech that would strip away citizens privacy, but with tech keeping the military cutting edge? They're better off not having him if he can't put things into a realistic perspective.

The "we have to do it because someone else will" justification is a quick road to the evilest positions.

Other people steal, rape, kill, and torture so we have to as well under this "realistic perspective".

 

[ScottSoapbox]

It's telling when a company finds "don't be evil" too constraining.

The threshold wasn't even being good or noble, just not actually evil.

 

[Hexic]

Well, you’re entitled to your opinion and choice of work like anyone else…

"I am a pacifist, and have long ago decided that I will not personally work for militaries engaging in offensive warfare,"

…but don’t be surprised when your opportunities significantly shrink in the large tech space. And I sure hope you don’t even pretend to blame anyone else but yourself if you can’t find employment moving forward.

Reality needs to sucker punch this poor soul.

 

[m4a4]

The "we have to do it because someone else will" justification is a quick road to the evilest positions.

Other people steal, rape, kill, and torture so we have to as well under this "realistic perspective".

No. Seems like you don't know what a "realistic perspective" is either.

Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

The "we have to do it because someone else will" justification is a quick road to the evilest positions.

Other people steal, rape, kill, and torture so we have to as well under this "realistic perspective".

This is a false equivalency.

The world of defense is not the world of crime. We can see what happens when you rest on your laurels and use decades old tech and tactics with Russia right now.

 

[JMGuy]

The "we have to do it because someone else will" justification is a quick road to the evilest positions.

Other people steal, rape, kill, and torture so we have to as well under this "realistic perspective".

This argument completely misses the mark on how global security works.

First, comparing strategic national defense to criminal atrocities by conflating it with rape and pillaging is a completely absurd straw-man fallacy. In the real world, maintaining a technological and military edge isn't about committing evil, it's about deterrence. Frankly, your freedom to disagree on its execution is a direct reaping of the reward that the very mechanism you criticize provides (your welcome).

Second, democratic nations refusing to innovate militarily out of some kind of misguided moral purity idealism is self-sabotage; autocratic adversaries will do so regardless because they want power. This is a factual reality where human history has been more than crystal clear about the hard truth: societal stability requires hard power, not utopian idealism; pacifism is not a strategy, it’s a surrender.

 

[p51d007]

Can google have a moral compass.

 

[GeoffreyA]

Keep in mind, a lot of people will promise him this, this is the only country where he can be assured he can follow his values, while trashing the company (in this instance) and country freely.

Is America the only country with freedom of speech (and of the press)? Since he resides in a country of free speech, doesn't the gentleman deserve: "I disapprove of what you say but will defend your right to say it"?

 

[dangh]

He is a free person and took decision about his own career according to what he thinks it's best for him. He is happy, google do not care, all is good. What is weird though is amount of people who thinks all what is important is money, and that he should continue to work for someone he don't like anymore. Is that so many people have a slave personality and get angry if someone else do not behave like one?

 

[Alpine7995]

Don't be evil → don't be not-evil → actively be evil, but slowly enough that each step feels incremental.

 

[Mr Majestyk]

Working for Google and that's what forced you to quit!

 

[acrossthestars]

Google's job is to make money, not ethics. That mask came off a long time ago. They will do whatever will increase the profits.

This is technically true of all companies. It's just most evident of Google because "Don't Be Evil" was literally part of the company mantra.

Their mistake was not all of the tomfoolery―the controversies, the lawsuits, the corporate scandals―but rather their approach to everything from the start. They advertised themselves as the "Don't Be Evil" company. It sounds good, like sincere advice. But, in hindsight, it really comes across as arrogance, like they were above it all. The rest of the tech industry might have been corporate stooges, but not them. They wouldn't be dominated by such corrupting influences as "shareholder value" and "corporate greed". They were better, more cultured and refined.

But, as the saying goes, "money talks, bullsh*t walks". Their mistake was not that they did the "bad thing". Their mistake was that they led with virtue they hadn't earned. They talked a big game, but when push came to shove, they folded.

They spoke too much.

 

[ScottSoapbox]

This argument completely misses the mark on how global security works.

First, comparing strategic national defense to criminal atrocities by conflating it with rape and pillaging is a completely absurd straw-man fallacy. In the real world, maintaining a technological and military edge isn't about committing evil, it's about deterrence. Frankly, your freedom to disagree on its execution is a direct reaping of the reward that the very mechanism you criticize provides (your welcome).

Second, democratic nations refusing to innovate militarily out of some kind of misguided moral purity idealism is self-sabotage; autocratic adversaries will do so regardless because they want power. This is a factual reality where human history has been more than crystal clear about the hard truth: societal stability requires hard power, not utopian idealism; pacifism is not a strategy, it’s a surrender.

I realize this can be hard to grasp for someone with a binary mindset, but there is actually a massive number of positions between the "there is no moral boundary we can't cross in the name of national security because the enemy will cross any boundary" and total pacifism.

If we become evil to protect ourselves from evil - we've already lost.

That is why the world has agreed that certain things are war crimes such as chemical and biological weapons. And being against such things does not make me a pacifist - talk about strawman. You also have a few red herrings too.

And not yet trusting untested AI systems with who lives and dies isn't stifling innovation, it's wise prudence.

 

[ScottSoapbox]

This is a false equivalency.

The world of defense is not the world of crime. We can see what happens when you rest on your laurels and use decades old tech and tactics with Russia right now.

It isn't.

It's a reasonable parallel that exposes a terrible ideology.

As I said above, just because I pointed out the flaws in a war machine cheerleader's worldview, does not mean I'm a pacifist calling for laurel resting. But it's worth noting that our global military interventions since WW2 have largely been a negative for actual US security and only good for defense contractors and special interests. We could have a stronger military and better global reputation if we didn't let wealthy elites use it as their personal big stick.

 

[JMGuy]

I realize this can be hard to grasp for someone with a binary mindset, but there is actually a massive number of positions between the "there is no moral boundary we can't cross in the name of national security because the enemy will cross any boundary" and total pacifism.

If we become evil to protect ourselves from evil - we've already lost.

That is why the world has agreed that certain things are war crimes such as chemical and biological weapons. And being against such things does not make me a pacifist - talk about strawman. You also have a few red herrings too.

And not yet trusting untested AI systems with who lives and dies isn't stifling innovation, it's wise prudence.

It is highly ironic that you accuse me of a binary mindset when your own argument appears to rest on a blatant false equivalence.

Your original comment explicitly equated strategic military innovation with criminal atrocities like theft, rape, and torture—a wildly illogical leap designed to shoehorn a complex global reality into a specific, ethically-sanitized bubble.

State-level deterrence and technological development are not remotely the same thing as rogue criminal conduct by soldiers in the field. One is a framework for national defense; the other is a war crime. I am appropriately separating them, while you are lazily conflating them to force a binary where any military progress equals "becoming evil."

Furthermore, opening your response with a passive-aggressive swipe at my intelligence doesn't make your argument sophisticated. It simply reveals insecurity when your logic is challenged. Resorting to condescension is a classic white flag attempting to defend a weak premise.

If you want to lecture on nuance and "wise prudence," let’s look at the actual reality of AI development. True prudence isn't a childish fantasy where Western democracies unilaterally pause innovation while adversarial autocracies aggressively weaponize the technology. True prudence means actively developing the tech so we can define its ethical guardrails and boundaries, rather than surrendering that standard to totalitarian regimes with zero accountability.

 

[alexnode]

Huge companies like that end up with the most ruthless people at the top independent of talent...