News Summary

Google’s DeepMind team in the UK has voted to unionize, motivated by concerns over a recent AI deal between Google and the US Defense Department. The workers are pushing for recognition from the Communication Workers Union and Unite the Union. This move follows reports of the Pentagon’s agreements with leading AI companies, including Google, to utilize AI technologies for lawful purposes, excluding domestic mass surveillance or autonomous weapons. However, these companies lack control over the government’s use of the AI technologies. Concerns also arose regarding Google’s collaboration with the Israeli Defense Forces, which included a $1.2 billion cloud computing contract. The DeepMind workers are advocating for Google to avoid developing harmful technologies and are calling for an independent ethics oversight body.