Google DeepMind has agreed to enter formal negotiations with UK tech workers, which could lead to union representation, amid growing staff concerns about the use of the company’s AI by the US and Israeli governments’ defense and intelligence agencies.
In a landmark move, the artificial intelligence division of Google’s multitrillion-dollar empire, led by Nobel laureate Demis Hassabis, met with the communications union and agreed to unite in the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Authority (Acas) after hundreds of workers at its London headquarters voted to unionize this month.
Google DeepMind declined to voluntarily recognize the union for collective bargaining purposes, but said in a staff email Wednesday that consultations at Acas “could lead to a formal vote in the coming months, giving all eligible employees the opportunity to vote on whether they want union representation.”
Google is facing a court challenge from a DeepMind AI researcher in Palestinian cultural heritage who claims he was unfairly fired after protesting its work with the Israeli government. The researcher is a member of the United Tech and Allied Workers’ Union, a branch of the CWU. Google disputes his explanation for his departure.
Israeli authorities credit Google’s cloud computing for making ‘amazing things possible’ [to] It “happened in combat” during the Gaza conflict.
Hundreds of workers have signed a petition expressing concerns about the technology’s application, concerns that have been heightened since the company decided to renege on a pledge in 2025 not to use its technology for harmful weapons or surveillance that violates international norms.
In a message to employees on Wednesday, Google said its teams’ “ability to listen to each other and collaborate has always been central to our culture…We fully respect the labor rights of all employees, including the right to choose whether to join a union. Your choices will not affect your treatment at GDM.”
A Google DeepMind spokesperson said: “We declined the union’s request for voluntary collective bargaining over wages, hours and holidays, but offered to meet via Acas, which is the standard next step. We remain committed to constructive, direct dialogue with our employees about building a positive and successful workplace.”
“It’s a concession that they need to address some of the serious issues on the ground,” said a CWU official. “There’s clearly an uptick in opinion about the contracts they should fulfill, such as drone technology, relations with the Israeli government, relations with the U.S. military. This is definitely progress, and they’re not just shutting down the issue.”
