Alphabet investors push for safeguards on use of its cloud, AI tech

A group of Alphabet shareholders, managing $1.15 trillion in assets, have written to the company seeking a meeting with management to discuss its governance and control over the use of its technology and cloud services by governments for surveillance. The investors own about $2.2 billion of Alphabet's shares and are concerned about the potential misuse of its technology, citing examples such as Google's provision of services to U.S. immigration authorities and its role in Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion cloud computing contract with Israel. Alphabet had opposed a shareholder resolution seeking a report on how it oversees related risks, stating it had a 'robust, multi-layered framework for data privacy and security'. The company's AI Principles were revised in 2025 to remove 'categorical language restricting certain weapons and surveillance applications', increasing the importance of contractual safeguards and board-level oversight. Misuse of its technology could expose Alphabet to litigation, regulatory action, or heavy fines. The investors want to understand how Alphabet assesses and mitigates the risk of misuse of its technology and services.