A Business Insider report revealed that Google employees in the UK are being paid despite not working.
It sounds like a dream, doesn’t it? However, the big tech company’s intention is to bind these employees with contracts that prevent them from working elsewhere.
This practice occurs at Google DeepMind, a UK-based company specializing in artificial intelligence research and development.
While Google has not confirmed the report, Microsoft’s vice president of AI, Nando de Freitas, corroborated the story after expressing frustration over the situation late last month.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Nando de Freitas said that DeepMind employees have reached out to him in desperation, seeking ways to break free from restrictive agreements.
“Every week, one of you contacts me in despair to ask how to escape your notice periods and non-competes. Some even ask me for a job,” Nando wrote in his post.
“Please, don’t reach out to me. Instead, speak to each other. Your leads are responsible for this. Discuss it with them.”
“And most importantly, do not sign these contracts. No American corporation should have this much power, especially in Europe. This is abuse of power that cannot be justified for any reason,” he added.
Dear @GoogDeepMind ers, First, congrats on the new impressive models.
Every week one of you reaches out to me in despair to ask me how to escape your notice periods and noncompetes. Also asking me for a job because your manager has explained this is the way to get promoted, but…
— Nando de Freitas (@NandoDF) March 26, 2025
According to employees interviewed by BI, non-compete agreements are detrimental to workers in the tech sector, as being excluded from AI advancements can significantly hinder one’s career.
They believe that since AI evolves rapidly, staying inactive can leave one behind. Even after leaving the company, a 12-month non-compete clause can prevent former employees from working for any competitors during that time.
Photo and video: Pixabay / X @NandoDF. This content was created with AI assistance and reviewed by the editorial team.
