據傳,谷歌將通過與沙特阿美石油公司合作,在沙特阿拉伯銷售云計算服務。谷歌的這一舉動也引起了不少爭議。
谷歌公司周一表示,雙方的合作使谷歌獲得了在沙特建立所謂“云區域”的監管許可。不過谷歌的員工則以環保問題和沙特政府的“威權體制”為由,呼吁谷歌放棄與沙特阿美的合作。
不過,谷歌云計算部門的CEO托馬斯?庫里安一直在努力推動公司進軍能源行業。這也是云計算市場上,谷歌還在追趕微軟和亞馬遜的少數幾個領域之一。
庫里安在本周一的一份聲明中表示:“通過這項協議,谷歌云的創新技術和解決方案將惠及全球客戶和沙特企業,使他們能夠更好地服務終端消費者。”沙特阿美則表示,沙特的云服務市場規模到2030年將達到300億美元。
谷歌的合作伙伴沙特阿美石油開發公司是沙特阿拉伯國營石油公司的一個下屬部門。沙特阿美宣稱,它與谷歌早在2018年就簽訂了一份初步協議,這還是在沙特王儲穆罕默德?本?薩勒曼高調訪問硅谷之前。而在那次訪問中,沙特王儲還訪問了谷歌,并會見了該公司的高管。
不過就在幾個月后,沙特著名專欄作家、評論家賈馬爾?卡舒吉慘遭暗殺,此事引起了國際社會的強烈譴責。事發后,很多企業紛紛退出在沙特舉辦的投資會議以示抗議。還有人以人權問題為由對投資沙特的外國企業表示質疑。對坊間傳聞是王儲親自下令暗殺卡舒吉的說法,美國中情局還進行了調查,這也導致沙特與美國的關系陷入了緊張。
同年晚些時候,隨著不少員工對這項合作提出抗議,谷歌發布了一套關于技術和人工智能應用的公共原則,其中規定“禁止用于違反被廣泛接受的國際法準則或用于侵犯人權的人工智能系統”。谷歌的發言人并未立即就與沙特阿美合作一事發表評論。
非營利組織Tech Inquiry的負責人、前谷歌研究員杰克?保爾森表示,他擔心谷歌的云服務可能會被沙特濫用?!肮雀柙跊]有對合作范圍做出一定澄清的情況下就這樣做,是很不負責任的?!保ㄘ敻恢形木W)
譯者:樸成奎
據傳,谷歌將通過與沙特阿美石油公司合作,在沙特阿拉伯銷售云計算服務。谷歌的這一舉動也引起了不少爭議。
谷歌公司周一表示,雙方的合作使谷歌獲得了在沙特建立所謂“云區域”的監管許可。不過谷歌的員工則以環保問題和沙特政府的“威權體制”為由,呼吁谷歌放棄與沙特阿美的合作。
不過,谷歌云計算部門的CEO托馬斯?庫里安一直在努力推動公司進軍能源行業。這也是云計算市場上,谷歌還在追趕微軟和亞馬遜的少數幾個領域之一。
庫里安在本周一的一份聲明中表示:“通過這項協議,谷歌云的創新技術和解決方案將惠及全球客戶和沙特企業,使他們能夠更好地服務終端消費者?!鄙程匕⒚绖t表示,沙特的云服務市場規模到2030年將達到300億美元。
谷歌的合作伙伴沙特阿美石油開發公司是沙特阿拉伯國營石油公司的一個下屬部門。沙特阿美宣稱,它與谷歌早在2018年就簽訂了一份初步協議,這還是在沙特王儲穆罕默德?本?薩勒曼高調訪問硅谷之前。而在那次訪問中,沙特王儲還訪問了谷歌,并會見了該公司的高管。
不過就在幾個月后,沙特著名專欄作家、評論家賈馬爾?卡舒吉慘遭暗殺,此事引起了國際社會的強烈譴責。事發后,很多企業紛紛退出在沙特舉辦的投資會議以示抗議。還有人以人權問題為由對投資沙特的外國企業表示質疑。對坊間傳聞是王儲親自下令暗殺卡舒吉的說法,美國中情局還進行了調查,這也導致沙特與美國的關系陷入了緊張。
同年晚些時候,隨著不少員工對這項合作提出抗議,谷歌發布了一套關于技術和人工智能應用的公共原則,其中規定“禁止用于違反被廣泛接受的國際法準則或用于侵犯人權的人工智能系統”。谷歌的發言人并未立即就與沙特阿美合作一事發表評論。
非營利組織Tech Inquiry的負責人、前谷歌研究員杰克?保爾森表示,他擔心谷歌的云服務可能會被沙特濫用?!肮雀柙跊]有對合作范圍做出一定澄清的情況下就這樣做,是很不負責任的?!保ㄘ敻恢形木W)
譯者:樸成奎
Google will start selling its cloud-computing services in Saudi Arabia through a deal with oil producer Aramco, a controversial move by the internet giant.
The partnership gives Alphabet’s Google regulatory clearance to set up what it calls a “cloud region” in the Kingdom, the companies said on Monday. Employees at Google have called on the company to abstain from work in the oil and gas industry, citing environmental concerns, and work with authoritarian regimes.
Still, Thomas Kurian, chief executive officer of Google’s cloud unit, has pushed to service the energy industry. It’s one of a handful of fields where Google is trying to chase Microsoft. and Amazon.com Inc. in the cloud-computing market.
“With this agreement, Google Cloud’s innovative technology and solutions will be available to global customers and enterprises in Saudi Arabia to enable them to better serve end consumers,” Kurian said in a statement on Monday. Aramco described the market for cloud services in the country as reaching $30 billion by 2030.
Google is partnering with Saudi Aramco Development Company, a division of the state-run Saudi Arabian Oil. Aramco announced it had signed a preliminary agreement with Google in 2018 prior to a highly-publicized Silicon Valley tour by Prince Mohammed bin Salman. On that trip, the crown prince visited Google and met with its top executives.
Months later, the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a columnist and prominent Saudi critic, prompted widespread international condemnation. Many businesses pulled out of a Saudi financial conference and some questioned investment in the Kingdom over human rights concerns. The CIA looked into claims that the crown prince ordered the murder, straining relations between Saudi Arabia and the U.S.
Later that year, Google released a set of public principles for its technology and artificial intelligence after staff protests over its work. That included a prohibition on AI systems “whose purpose contravenes widely accepted principles of international law and human rights.” A Google spokeswoman didn’t immediately comment on the new Aramco partnership.
Jack Poulson, a former Google researcher who runs non-profit group Tech Inquiry, said he’s concerned Google cloud services in Saudi Arabia may be used to surveil citizens and dampen freedom of expression. “It’s irresponsible of Google to do this without some clarification of its scope,” he added.