Google DeepMind Workers Vote to Unionize Over Military AI Deals

Employees at Google DeepMind in London have voted to unionize as part of an effort to block the AI lab from providing technology to the US and Israeli militaries. In a letter to Google managing director Debbie Weinstein, the workers requested that the company recognize the Communication Workers Union and Unite the Union as joint representatives. The push for unionization seeks to hold Google to its ethical standards on AI, including how products are monetized and with whom the company works, according to John Chadfield, national officer for technology at the CWU. The effort began in February 2025 after Alphabet removed a pledge against using AI for weapons development and surveillance from its ethics guidelines. An anonymous DeepMind employee said many staff joined the lab because of its tagline about building AI responsibly to benefit humanity and expressed concern over the direction toward militarization of models. Staff at DeepMind and OpenAI signed an open letter supporting Anthropic after the US Department of Defense sought to designate the lab a supply chain risk for refusing to allow its AI in autonomous weapons or mass surveillance. The New York Times reported that Google entered a deal allowing the Pentagon to use its AI for any lawful government purpose. The Department of Defense confirmed deals with seven AI companies, including Google, for use on classified networks. Roughly 600 US-based Google employees signed a letter protesting the agreement. Google spokesperson Kristen Morea said the company received the letter from the unions but that no vote to unionize had occurred at this stage. The company has valued constructive dialogue with employees and will remain focused on a positive workplace, she said. Google has defended its government deals and stated it remains committed to the view that AI should not be used for domestic mass surveillance or autonomous weaponry without appropriate human oversight. In 2021, Google employees in the US formed the Alphabet Workers Union, which is not recognized by Alphabet for collective bargaining but has negotiated agreements for contractors. If the UK effort succeeds, workers are expected to demand that Google end its contract with the Israeli military and seek greater transparency on AI product use along with assurances related to automation-driven layoffs. If the company does not engage, employees said they will ask an arbitration committee to compel recognition. CWU hopes the effort will encourage similar action at other labs. Chadfield said workers at other frontier labs have approached the union for help after seeing the DeepMind effort.