World
As tech giants race to dominate artificial intelligence, Google is taking a surprising step: paying some DeepMind employees not to work. Amid growing competition from OpenAI, Microsoft, and Meta (which recently launched Llama 4), Google is enforcing strict noncompete agreements that bar select UK-based researchers from joining rivals for up to a year — while still paying their salaries.
Though this may seem like a paid break, many affected researchers feel frustrated and anxious. The AI field evolves so quickly that being sidelined for even a few months can feel like losing relevance. Reports suggest that some employees, feeling “despair,” have even reached out to Microsoft’s AI leadership, desperate to rejoin the action.
Google claims it uses such agreements “selectively,” but the move highlights the fierce battle for top AI talent. As innovation accelerates, it raises a bigger question: does freezing your best minds help you win — or hold you back?
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