Negotiations between Google's artificial intelligence subsidiary, DeepMind, and its London-based employees over unionization are off to a rocky start. Union representatives felt their initial meeting was a mere formality, with senior management notably absent.

At the heart of the dispute is Google’s recent refusal to acknowledge the Communication Workers Union and Unite the Union as official representatives. This has left DeepMind employees feeling sidelined and frustrated by HR interventions during discussions.

The push for unionization began after Alphabet, Google's parent company, removed its ethics guideline against using AI in weapons development and surveillance. Employees now worry about the militarization of their work, following an open letter campaign against a Pentagon deal that reportedly involved 600 US-based Google staff.

With negotiations stalled, unions are considering arbitration to force recognition. Yet, union representatives warn both sides must be willing to compromise; otherwise, the situation could escalate.