The AI industry moves fast, and top talent is in high demand. But at Google’s DeepMind, some employees are hitting an unexpected roadblock when they try to leave: restrictive noncompete agreements that can lock them out of rival companies for up to a year.
The issue has sparked heated debates about worker freedom, competition, and whether these policies are doing more harm than good in a field that thrives on fresh ideas and rapid progress.
Garden Leave—A Paid Pause, But at What Cost?
Reports suggest DeepMind’s noncompete terms often force departing employees into “garden leave”—a polite term for being paid to stay home instead of jumping into a new role. These clauses typically last six to twelve months, especially for those working on high-stakes projects like Google’s Gemini AI.
The company insists its policies are standard for the industry. But critics say they go too far, trapping skilled workers in limbo during one of the most dynamic moments in AI history.
“An Abuse of Power”—Former DeepMind Exec Speaks Out
Nando de Freitas, once a director at DeepMind and now a VP at Microsoft AI, didn’t hold back when calling out the practice. He slammed the lengthy notice periods and noncompetes as an “abuse of power,“ pointing out how they leave employees stuck just when they should be pushing their careers—and the industry—forward.
A Bigger Battle Over Noncompetes
This isn’t just a DeepMind problem. In April 2024, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) took a sweeping stand against noncompetes, banning them nationwide. The agency called the clauses “unfair“ and predicted the change would spark thousands of new businesses while boosting workers’ pay.
With AI talent wars heating up, the question remains: Are strict noncompetes protecting companies—or holding back the next big breakthrough?
Subscribe to my whatsapp channel