In the race to dominate artificial intelligence, Google appears to be using a surprising strategy — paying top AI researchers not to work.
According to a report by Business Insider, Google’s AI arm, DeepMind, is offering select employees in the UK year-long paid “gardening leaves,” essentially extended paid time off — not for rest, but to keep them from joining rival companies like OpenAI or Microsoft.
⚖️ Noncompete Clauses Turn into Paid Waiting Games
The report highlights that DeepMind enforces strict noncompete contracts in the UK, preventing AI professionals from moving to competing firms for up to 12 months. During this time, some employees are still paid, making it a financial buffer, but also a professional setback, as they’re sidelined from the fast-evolving AI landscape.
This approach has raised eyebrows — while it’s legal in the UK, the FTC banned most noncompetes in the U.S. last year, making the tactic far less common stateside.
🧠 Talent in Limbo: Frustration Among Researchers
Some DeepMind researchers are reportedly feeling frustrated and professionally stagnated, especially as AI breakthroughs are emerging at breakneck speed. Being benched during this momentum could mean falling behind in one of the most competitive fields today.
Even more telling — Microsoft’s VP of AI recently shared on X (formerly Twitter) that DeepMind employees have been reaching out to him “in despair” for advice on how to exit their contracts and find meaningful work elsewhere.
🔥 The AI Talent War Is Heating Up
The intense competition between AI giants — Google, OpenAI, Meta, and Microsoft — is pushing companies to not just hire top talent, but to retain it at any cost. Strategies now include:
- Lock-in periods and notice delays
- Aggressive contract clauses
- High compensation without active work
While such retention efforts may protect proprietary innovations, they may also suppress innovation by trapping talent in corporate limbo.
Last month, the VP of AI at Microsoft posted on X about how DeepMind staff are reaching out to him “in despair” over the challenge of escaping their noncompete clauses:
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…