谷歌將在沙特銷售云服務(wù)，引發(fā)員工不滿
MARK BERGEN/ BLOOMBERG
2020-12-29
據(jù)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(jì)算服務(wù)。谷歌的這一舉動(dòng)也引起了不少爭(zhēng)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(qū)域”的監(jiān)管許可。不過谷歌的員工則以環(huán)保問題和沙特政府的“威權(quán)體制”為由，呼吁谷歌放棄與沙特阿美的合作。
不過，谷歌云計(jì)算部門的CEO托馬斯?庫里安一直在努力推動(dòng)公司進(jìn)軍能源行業(yè)。這也是云計(jì)算市場(chǎng)上，谷歌還在追趕微軟和亞馬遜的少數(shù)幾個(gè)領(lǐng)域之一。
庫里安在本周一的一份聲明中表示：“通過這項(xiàng)協(xié)議，谷歌云的創(chuàng)新技術(shù)和解決方案將惠及全球客戶和沙特企業(yè)，使他們能夠更好地服務(wù)終端消費(fèi)者。”沙特阿美則表示，沙特的云服務(wù)市場(chǎng)規(guī)模到2030年將達(dá)到300億美元。
谷歌的合作伙伴沙特阿美石油開發(fā)公司是沙特阿拉伯國(guó)營(yíng)石油公司的一個(gè)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(xié)議，這還是在沙特王儲(chǔ)穆罕默德?本?薩勒曼高調(diào)訪問硅谷之前。而在那次訪問中，沙特王儲(chǔ)還訪問了谷歌，并會(huì)見了該公司的高管。
不過就在幾個(gè)月后，沙特著名專欄作家、評(píng)論家賈馬爾?卡舒吉慘遭暗殺，此事引起了國(guó)際社會(huì)的強(qiáng)烈譴責(zé)。事發(fā)后，很多企業(yè)紛紛退出在沙特舉辦的投資會(huì)議以示抗議。還有人以人權(quán)問題為由對(duì)投資沙特的外國(guó)企業(yè)表示質(zhì)疑。對(duì)坊間傳聞是王儲(chǔ)親自下令暗殺卡舒吉的說法，美國(guó)中情局還進(jìn)行了調(diào)查，這也導(dǎo)致沙特與美國(guó)的關(guān)系陷入了緊張。
同年晚些時(shí)候，隨著不少員工對(duì)這項(xiàng)合作提出抗議，谷歌發(fā)布了一套關(guān)于技術(shù)和人工智能應(yīng)用的公共原則，其中規(guī)定“禁止用于違反被廣泛接受的國(guó)際法準(zhǔn)則或用于侵犯人權(quán)的人工智能系統(tǒng)”。谷歌的發(fā)言人并未立即就與沙特阿美合作一事發(fā)表評(píng)論。
非營(yíng)利組織Tech Inquiry的負(fù)責(zé)人、前谷歌研究員杰克?保爾森表示，他擔(dān)心谷歌的云服務(wù)可能會(huì)被沙特濫用。“谷歌在沒有對(duì)合作范圍做出一定澄清的情況下就這樣做，是很不負(fù)責(zé)任的?！保ㄘ?cái)富中文網(wǎng)）
譯者：樸成奎
據(jù)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(jì)算服務(wù)。谷歌的這一舉動(dòng)也引起了不少爭(zhēng)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(qū)域”的監(jiān)管許可。不過谷歌的員工則以環(huán)保問題和沙特政府的“威權(quán)體制”為由，呼吁谷歌放棄與沙特阿美的合作。
不過，谷歌云計(jì)算部門的CEO托馬斯?庫里安一直在努力推動(dòng)公司進(jìn)軍能源行業(yè)。這也是云計(jì)算市場(chǎng)上，谷歌還在追趕微軟和亞馬遜的少數(shù)幾個(gè)領(lǐng)域之一。
庫里安在本周一的一份聲明中表示：“通過這項(xiàng)協(xié)議，谷歌云的創(chuàng)新技術(shù)和解決方案將惠及全球客戶和沙特企業(yè)，使他們能夠更好地服務(wù)終端消費(fèi)者?！鄙程匕⒚绖t表示，沙特的云服務(wù)市場(chǎng)規(guī)模到2030年將達(dá)到300億美元。
谷歌的合作伙伴沙特阿美石油開發(fā)公司是沙特阿拉伯國(guó)營(yíng)石油公司的一個(gè)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(xié)議，這還是在沙特王儲(chǔ)穆罕默德?本?薩勒曼高調(diào)訪問硅谷之前。而在那次訪問中，沙特王儲(chǔ)還訪問了谷歌，并會(huì)見了該公司的高管。
不過就在幾個(gè)月后，沙特著名專欄作家、評(píng)論家賈馬爾?卡舒吉慘遭暗殺，此事引起了國(guó)際社會(huì)的強(qiáng)烈譴責(zé)。事發(fā)后，很多企業(yè)紛紛退出在沙特舉辦的投資會(huì)議以示抗議。還有人以人權(quán)問題為由對(duì)投資沙特的外國(guó)企業(yè)表示質(zhì)疑。對(duì)坊間傳聞是王儲(chǔ)親自下令暗殺卡舒吉的說法，美國(guó)中情局還進(jìn)行了調(diào)查，這也導(dǎo)致沙特與美國(guó)的關(guān)系陷入了緊張。
同年晚些時(shí)候，隨著不少員工對(duì)這項(xiàng)合作提出抗議，谷歌發(fā)布了一套關(guān)于技術(shù)和人工智能應(yīng)用的公共原則，其中規(guī)定“禁止用于違反被廣泛接受的國(guó)際法準(zhǔn)則或用于侵犯人權(quán)的人工智能系統(tǒng)”。谷歌的發(fā)言人并未立即就與沙特阿美合作一事發(fā)表評(píng)論。
非營(yíng)利組織Tech Inquiry的負(fù)責(zé)人、前谷歌研究員杰克?保爾森表示，他擔(dān)心谷歌的云服務(wù)可能會(huì)被沙特濫用?！肮雀柙跊]有對(duì)合作范圍做出一定澄清的情況下就這樣做，是很不負(fù)責(zé)任的?！保ㄘ?cái)富中文網(wǎng)）
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.
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