DeepMind London Team Seeks Unionization Amid Ethical Concerns
Approximately 300 members of Google's DeepMind team, situated in London, are reportedly in the process of unionizing with the Communication Workers Union. This move, as indicated by sources familiar with the effort, reflects growing concerns among employees regarding the ethical implications of the company's AI development and its collaborations.
A key catalyst for this unionization push appears to be Google's decision to retract its pledge against utilizing AI for weapons or surveillance purposes. This decision has sparked considerable unease among DeepMind staff, who feel that the company is shifting away from its previously stated ethical principles.
Further fueling discontent is Google's involvement with the Israeli military, specifically a $1.2 billion cloud computing contract. This contract has already triggered protests within Google, and it seems to be a significant factor driving the unionization effort within DeepMind.
According to reports, some DeepMind employees feel "duped" by these developments. Evidence suggests that at least five staff members have resigned, citing these ethical concerns as the reason for their departure. DeepMind's UK workforce comprises around 2,000 individuals, making the 300-member unionization effort a potentially significant development.
A Google spokesperson has stated that the company promotes "constructive and open dialogue with all of our employees." However, the DeepMind team's move towards unionization suggests that some employees feel the need for a more formal mechanism to voice their concerns and influence company policy.
It's worth noting that a smaller group of around 200 employees from Google and its parent company, Alphabet, previously formed a union. However, this union's limited size restricted its ability to collectively bargain with the company. The DeepMind team's effort, with its larger membership, could potentially have a more significant impact on Google's policies and practices related to AI ethics and its collaborations.
Source: TechCrunch