More than 600 Google DeepMind employees signed a letter opposing the company’s AI agreement with the US Department of Defense.
Workers are demanding union recognition and calling for restrictions on Google AI use in military and surveillance operations.
The controversy has reignited debate over AI ethics, autonomous weapons, and Big Tech’s growing ties with defence agencies.
Workers at Google DeepMind’s UK office are pushing to unionise, citing serious concerns over the company’s growing military partnerships, a report by Mint said.
Employees have described the shift as a major departure from the company’s long-standing ethical principles that guided its AI development for more than two decades.
1 May 2026
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Reports suggest the unionisation effort has received overwhelming backing from union members, placing Google at the centre of an escalating conflict between its AI ambitions and employee concerns over ethics.
What Triggered the Outrage?
The immediate trigger was a deal Google signed with the US Department of Defense last Friday.
Under the agreement, Google will allow its Gemini AI models to be used within classified military networks for “any lawful purpose.”
Critics argue that the wording of the contract contains loopholes that could pave the way for the development of autonomous weapons systems and expanded surveillance capabilities targeting US citizens.
Several major technology firms — including OpenAI, xAI, Nvidia, Microsoft, and Amazon — have entered into similar defence agreements. Anthropic, however, refused to sign such a deal.
Anthropic’s decision reportedly prompted the Pentagon to direct military agencies and defence contractors to stop using its products, labelling the company a “supply chain risk.” Anthropic is currently challenging the designation in court.
Mass Unionisation Push
The report said that over 600 employees signed an open letter on Tuesday opposing the Pentagon agreement, while several workers publicly voiced their concerns through the press and social media platforms.
Employees have formally written to management seeking union recognition, giving the company a 10-working-day deadline to either voluntarily recognise the union or agree to mediated negotiations. Failure to respond could lead to legal proceedings.
What Are the Workers' Demands?
Alongside formal union recognition, employees have outlined several demands. The primary demand is for Google’s AI technology not to be used by the US Department of Defense or the Israeli military.
Workers are also calling for the restoration of Google’s 2018 commitment — made after employee protests over Project Maven — that the company would not develop AI for weapons or surveillance systems that violate internationally accepted norms.
That commitment was quietly removed from Google’s public website in February 2025.
Additional demands include the creation of an independent ethics oversight body and protections allowing employees to opt out of projects they consider morally objectionable.
Google Responds
According to a report by Fortune, a Google DeepMind spokesperson said, “Google UK recently received a letter from Unite and the Communications Workers Union requesting recognition for Google DeepMind UK employees.”
The spokesperson added that “at this stage in the process, there has been no vote to unionise. We have always valued constructive dialogue with employees, and we’ll remain focused on creating a positive and successful workplace.”
Google further clarified that the Communication Workers Union’s request was part of a standard process and remained at a very early stage, adding that there is currently no officially recognised union at either Google DeepMind or Google UK.
