In a rare move, around 500 Google DeepMind employees have formed a union to protest the alleged use of their technology by the Israeli military. This unionization effort comes amid growing concerns over Google’s $1.2 billion “Project Nimbus” cloud contract with the Israeli government, which critics fear could support military operations in Gaza. Workers claim that DeepMind AI technologies, originally created for humanitarian purposes, could be repurposed for surveillance and warfare. Google insists that Project Nimbus does not involve AI used for military operations or weaponry, but tension remains high.
The establishment of the DeepMind Union, part of the larger Alphabet Workers Union, underscores a broader movement among tech employees advocating more ethical use of their work. Past protests by Google employees successfully spurred changes, such as the cancellation of the Pentagon’s Project Maven contract in 2018. With the devastating conflict in Gaza intensifying fears, DeepMind staff are making it clear that they want a say in how their innovations are used — and they are willing to organize to ensure it.
