Google DeepMind employees in London vote to unionize over military AI deals

Employees at Google DeepMind voted to unionize and asked the company to recognize the Communication Workers Union and Unite the Union as joint representatives. The push to unionize began in February 2025, after Alphabet removed a pledge against using AI for weapons development and surveillance from its ethics guidelines.

The workers aim to block DeepMind from providing technology to US and Israeli militaries, and seek greater transparency over how AI products will be used. If Google does not engage, employees stated they will ask an arbitration committee to compel the company to recognize the unions.

The effort follows Google's deal with the Pentagon allowing use of its AI for "any lawful government purpose." Roughly 600 US-based Google employees signed a letter protesting the deal, and staff at DeepMind and OpenAI signed an open letter supporting Anthropic after the US Department of Defense sought to designate it a supply chain risk.