Around 1,500 DeepMind employees in the United Kingdom have voted to join the Communication Workers Union and Unite the Union, sending a letter to Google demanding formal recognition. The union drive, sparked by the revelation of a Pentagon contract that would let the U.S. defense department use Google’s artificial‑intelligence tools, reflects growing unease among the researchers about military applications of their work, including ties to the Israeli Defense Forces. Workers are also pressing for an independent ethics board and the right to refuse projects they deem harmful. Read more →