DeepMind staff vote to unionise over military AI contracts
Employees demand a commitment against developing harmful weapons and the right to abstain from ethically objectionable projects, citing concerns that their work aids genocide and violates international law.
Staffers at Google DeepMind's London headquarters have voted to unionise, seeking joint representation from the Communication Workers Union (CWU) and Unite the Union. The primary motivation for this bid is to prevent the firm's artificial intelligence technology from being used by the US and Israeli militaries. Management has been given ten working days to voluntarily recognise the union before legal processes are formally launched to force recognition. If successful, the bid would secure representation for at least 1,000 staff members.
The unionisation vote received 98 per cent support among CWU members at DeepMind. Employees have submitted a formal letter to Google management requesting specific demands, including a clear commitment not to pursue weapons development or contracts that harm people. They are also seeking negotiations regarding AI usage affecting job security and the right for workers to abstain from projects violating their personal moral or ethical standards. Staffers argue that their work aids in making genocide more efficient and violates international law.
This development follows a week of heightened activity within the company. Hundreds of Google employees signed an open letter to CEO Sundar Pichai demanding the refusal of classified AI contracts with the Pentagon. Shortly after, Google, alongside OpenAI and Nvidia, signed deals allowing the US Department of Defence to use their AI models for "any lawful government purpose." DeepMind staff globally are reportedly considering in-person protests and "research strikes," where they would abstain from working on improvements to Google AI services like Gemini.
In 2024, Google fired more than 50 staffers in response to a protest over the company's military ties to the Israeli government. This incident has contributed to ongoing tensions between DeepMind staff and Google management regarding military contracts. The broader tech sector is currently grappling with ethical concerns surrounding AI contracts with the US Department of Defence and the Israeli government.
John Chadfield, CWU national officer for tech workers, stated that by exercising their rights to collectivise, workers are in a strong position to demand their employer stop engaging in military-industrial contracts. He noted that this action connects tech workers with oppressed communities around the world based on foundational values of solidarity and trade unionism. The union bid includes demands for a commitment against developing harmful weapons, alongside protections regarding job security linked to AI usage.
Linxi News has reached out to Google for comment on the unionisation bid and the specific demands outlined by the staff. The outcome of the ten-day recognition period remains pending, with no official response from Google yet received. The extent to which potential research strikes would impact specific AI services like Gemini is currently speculative, though the campaign aims to halt the deployment of the firm's technology for military purposes immediately.
