Employees at Google DeepMind’s London headquarters have voted to form a union, seeking to prevent the company’s artificial intelligence (AI) technologies from being used by the US and Israeli militaries.
This move is part of a broader campaign against Google’s military-industrial AI contracts. Ninety-eight percent of Communication Workers Union (CWU) members at DeepMind supported the decision to unionize. Employees sent a letter to Google management on Tuesday, demanding recognition of CWU and Unite the Union as joint representatives.
Demands and Risks
If the unionization effort is successful, it will secure representation for at least 1,000 employees. Management has 10 working days to voluntarily recognize the union; if they refuse, legal processes will be formally initiated for compulsory recognition.
An unnamed DeepMind employee stated that they “do not want their AI models to be complicit in violations of international law,” and that their “AI models are already helping Israel commit genocide against Palestinians.” This statement was circulated by the CWU. According to this employee, even if their work is used for administrative purposes, it “helps make genocide cheaper, faster, and more efficient,” and this “must stop immediately,” along with an end to “harm to Iranians and human lives everywhere.” Management has repeatedly assured employees that their work is used only for administrative purposes.
Plans and Potential Actions
The union’s application includes specific demands for Google, among them a clear commitment not to develop weapons, or technologies and contracts that harm or surveil people. Negotiations are also demanded regarding AI use that significantly impacts roles, workload, and job security. Employees also demand the right to refuse projects that violate their personal moral or ethical standards.
DeepMind employees worldwide are reportedly considering in-person protests and so-called “research strikes,” which involve refusing to work on improving Google AI services, such as the Gemini AI assistant.
Source: The Verge
