"Why I Left Google DeepMind" by TurnTrout

Preface for LessWrong: When I think back on my most cherished memories of this community, I return to those honoring defiance in pursuit of goodness: Defying prestigious dogma and searching for raw truth;Defying social pressure, acting alone to help someone while others watch;Defying your self-expectations (your “role”), instead searching over lines of cause-and-effect to find a winning pathway;Defying a powerful foe's threats, because they only threaten since people like you cave;Defying the specter of apparent impossibility because you can’t bear to lose. I cannot return to you and say “I defied and then I won.” But I’m at least here to say “I defied.” I recommend reading this article on my website since the embeds and typography work better there: click here. Why I left Google DeepMind In January, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officers killed at least two people. In both cases, a federal agent grasped his gun, aimed it at a peaceful citizen, and shot them dead. Left: Renée Good, moments before DHS killed her. Right: Alex Pretti, moments before DHS killed him. I learned that Google sells its Cloud services to the relevant agencies within DHS. I thought that was [...] ---Outline:(00:59) Why I left Google DeepMind[... 42 more sections]--- First published: July 15th, 2026 Source: https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/iKm2FhpWkuuBojm82/why-i-left-google-deepmind --- Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO. ---Images from the article:Apple Podcasts and Spotify do not show images in the episode description. Try Pocket Casts, or another podcast app.