The previous version of the company's AI principles said Google would "take into account a broad range of social and economic factors." The new AI principles state Google will "proceed where we believe that the overall likely benefits substantially exceed the foreseeable risks and downsides."
In its Tuesday blog post, Google said it will "stay consistent with widely accepted principles of international law and human rights — always evaluating specific work by carefully assessing whether the benefits substantially outweigh potential risks."
The new AI principles were first reported by The Washington Post on Tuesday, ahead of Google's fourth-quarter earnings. The company's results missed Wall Street's revenue expectations and drove shares down as much as 9% in after-hours trading.