Slashdot Mirror
Google Drops Out of Pentagon's $10 Billion Cloud Competition (bloomberg.com)
Citing corporate values, Google has decided not to compete for the Pentagon's $10 billion cloud-computing contract. Bloomberg reports: The project, known as the Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure cloud, or JEDI, involves transitioning massive amounts of Defense Department data to a commercially operated cloud system. Companies are due to submit bids for the contract, which could last as long as 10 years, on October 12th. Google's announcement on Monday came just months after the company decided not to renew its contract with a Pentagon artificial intelligence program, after extensive protests from employees of the internet giant about working with the military. The company then released a set of principles designed to evaluate what kind of artificial intelligence projects it would pursue. "We are not bidding on the JEDI contract because first, we couldn't be assured that it would align with our AI Principles," a Google spokesman said in a statement. "And second, we determined that there were portions of the contract that were out of scope with our current government certifications."
The spokesman added that Google is "working to support the U.S. government with our cloud in many ways." "Had the JEDI contract been open to multiple vendors, we would have submitted a compelling solution for portions of it," they said. "Google Cloud believes that a multi-cloud approach is in the best interest of government agencies, because it allows them to choose the right cloud for the right workload."
The spokesman added that Google is "working to support the U.S. government with our cloud in many ways." "Had the JEDI contract been open to multiple vendors, we would have submitted a compelling solution for portions of it," they said. "Google Cloud believes that a multi-cloud approach is in the best interest of government agencies, because it allows them to choose the right cloud for the right workload."
"We are not bidding on the JEDI contract because first, we couldn't be assured that it would align with our AI Principles," a Google spokesman said in a statement.
There's absolutely nothing wrong with sticking to your principles. But what are those principles that disallow working with the US government but allow working with the Chinese government? I wish Google would expound on those principles, because they might be righteous and moralistic. Or they might be principles based on maximum profit. I wouldn't be surprised if the profits from Dragonfly (and the ability to operate in China) dwarf the slice of the $10 billion JEDI Google might have been contemplating.
"And second, we determined that there were portions of the contract that were out of scope with our current government certifications."
That sounds weird. So get those certifications or hire people with those certifications. Google can't get certified to work with the US government, but they have no problems getting certified to work with the Chinese government.
Google's PR department needs an upgrade. These "reasons" don't make Google look that great.
What a load of bullshit.
You can rant all you want about awesomely bad America is and how great Chinese communism is because they've somehow adopted capitalism but only in a way to take down the world market.
Y'see, it doesn't work that way bozo - Like all good communist countries it only works until they run out of other peoples money. Then they collapse again. You might've heard of a few of those countries like Venezuela? Brazil? Cuba's quite the economic powerhouse too.
You also seem to have conveniently forgotten that China has built up their navy exponentially in the last 10 years - guess they're prepping their people to die in foreign wars too?
Google is not helping the US - Google actively works against the US because they, like you insipid twits, think that a controlled central command system where we're all dictated to in how to think and live is a GREAT utopian idea. That's why Google continues to work with China in subjugating its people. Google doesn't like free expression or free thought because that's anathema to a perfect society.
You didn't grow up - like every other moron that read Chomsky you think you're smarter because you read a radical book and travelled to a foreign land and pat yourself on the back for your ingenuity. While Chinese government FUD invades every aspect of your life - but that's ok because you're super-de-duper smart and can adapt right?
Adapt or die? hell no - I'll wave my piece of cloth in your face and tell you THEY can die and I'll live my free thinking individualist way - and if that means chaos, so be it. I'm not going to be a mind controlled zombie like you are.