Google DeepMind UK Staff Form Union, Oppose Parent Firm’s Cooperation with US Military

Google DeepMind UK Staff Form Union, Oppose Parent Firm’s Cooperation with US Military
Employees at Google-owned AI research firm DeepMind have voted to form a trade union, mainly over dissatisfaction with military contracts signed between parent company Google and the US military. According to The Guardian, an overwhelming majority of DeepMind UK staff backed union membership, marking the latest internal backlash against military partnerships within major tech corporations.
The staff achieved a 98% turnout in the ballot, voting in favor of joining the Communication Workers Union and Unite. Employees hold major concerns over Google’s deals with the US Department of Defense, especially the military application of AI technologies. Some workers argued that the US military's operations targeting Iran and disputes involving AI firm Anthropic prove the Pentagon is not a responsible partner.
Meanwhile, the military cooperation has sparked ethical concerns that their work could be deployed in armed conflicts. Employees fear collaborations between Google and the US as well as Israeli military forces may implicate them in warfare.
Source: Hong Kong Satellite TV
Google DeepMind英国员工组建工会 反对母公司与美军合作
Google旗下人工智能研究公司DeepMind的英国员工近期投票决定组建工会，据报道，其核心原因是不满母公司与美国军方签订的军事合同。另据英国《卫报》消息，DeepMind的英国员工以压倒性票数支持加入工会，这也成为科技巨头内部反对军事合同的最新案例。
此次投票中，DeepMind英国员工以98%的投票率，支持加入通讯工人联盟（CWU）和联合工会（Unite）。员工主要担忧Google与美国国防部签订的合约，尤其关注人工智能技术在军事领域的应用。有员工指出，美国国防部打击伊朗的相关行动、以及其与人工智能公司Anthropic之间的争议，都表明美国国防部并非一个“负责任的合作伙伴”。

此外，有报道称，与美军的相关合约，引发了员工对其工作可能被用于武装冲突的道德担忧。员工特别担心，Google与美国和以色列军方的合作，可能会让他们成为武装冲突的帮凶。
来源：香港卫视