Google's Project Maven Withdrawal (2018)
March-June 2018What Happened
Google was developing artificial intelligence for the Pentagon's Project Maven program to analyze drone footage. After employee protests—including a petition with thousands of signatures and a dozen resignations—Google announced it would not renew the contract worth a potential $250 million annually.
Outcome
Anduril and Palantir picked up the Project Maven work. Google published AI ethics principles excluding weapons development.
Created a market opening for defense-focused startups willing to do work that consumer tech companies shunned. Established the cultural divide that Anduril was built to exploit.
Why It's Relevant Today
Anduril's founding thesis—that Silicon Valley's aversion to defense work created opportunity for new entrants—was validated when Google walked away from Project Maven. The same engineering talent and AI capabilities now flow to Anduril instead.
