Google will not allow its artificial intelligence software to be used in weapons or unreasonable surveillance efforts, according to its latest ethical principles released Thursday.

The new restrictions could help management at Google, a unit of Alphabet Inc., defuse months of protests by thousands of employees against the company's work with the U.S. military to identify objects in drone videos.

Google will pursue other government contracts, including around cybersecurity, military recruitment and search and rescue, CEO Sundar Pichai said in a blog post the same day.