Google · Google AI Principles

Be Socially Beneficial Principle

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What it is

We will assess AI applications in view of the following equal and interdependent principles: Be socially beneficial. The expanded reach of new technologies increasingly touches society as a whole. Advances in AI will have transformative impacts in a wide range of fields, including healthcare, security, energy, transportation, manufacturing, and entertainment. As we consider potential development and uses of AI technologies, we will take into account a broad range of social and economic factors, and will proceed where we believe that the overall likely benefits substantially outweigh the foreseeable risks and harms.

Why it matters

This principle gives Google broad self-assessed discretion to determine what constitutes social benefit, with no defined methodology, timeline, or accountability mechanism.

Consumer impact

Google's AI Principles set out aspirational commitments about what kinds of AI the company will and won't build, which indirectly affects every person who uses Google products β€” from Search to Gemini to Google Workspace. However, the document creates no legally enforceable rights for consumers: there is no opt-out mechanism, no user complaint pathway, and no independent auditor verifying compliance with the stated principles. You can file a complaint with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov if you believe Google's AI practices contradict its publicly stated principles.

Provision details

Document information
Document
Google AI Principles
Entity
Google
Document last updated
March 24, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
March 6, 2026
Last verified
April 4, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-001908
Document ID
CA-D-00016
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
SHA-256
9ebc422713724c8a5f3a92a7071619ee6dc70dba4faf04a1f3a087c3ac08c42f
Verified
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Change verified
How to Cite
ConductAtlas Policy Archive
Entity: Google | Document: Google AI Principles | Record: CA-P-001908
Captured: 2026-03-06 20:30:33 UTC | SHA-256: 9ebc422713724c8a…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/google/google-ai-principles/be-socially-beneficial-principle/
Accessed: April 4, 2026
Classification
Severity
Low
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