"DeepMind also created an ethical charter that included bans on using its technology for military weapons or surveillance, as well as a rule that its technology should be used for ways that benefit society."
That is incredibly naive. If they create useful technology they will not be able to limit what it is used for: it will either get reinvented (knowing that something is possible makes it much easier to reinvent), or spread via employee turnaround.
I think what's happening is that Deepmind's leadership realized that they could get much richer by not being part of Alphabet, and they found this very socially acceptable reason to justify the split.
