This bizarre but strategic move was revealed in a recent Business Insider investigation, shedding light on Google’s aggressive tactics to stay ahead in the AI race, which some are now calling the modern-day equivalent of the space race.
A Golden Cage for AI Geniuses
According to the report, Google has been hiring AI specialists—particularly from its own division DeepMind—only to bind them in contracts that prevent them from joining rival firms for up to a year. These contracts, known as noncompete agreements, aren’t just legal speed bumps; they’re roadblocks designed to stall innovation outside Google’s walls.
Insiders reveal that these agreements are more than just paperwork. Some employees, particularly in the UK, are being placed on what’s known as “garden leave”—a corporate limbo where they remain on the payroll but are forbidden from contributing any work, either to Google or anyone else. Their sole purpose? Stay put, and stay silent.
“Every week one of you reaches out to me in despair to ask me how to escape your notice periods and noncompetes,” lamented Nando de Freitas, Microsoft’s AI VP and former DeepMind director, on social media. “Don’t sign these contracts. No American corporation should have that much power, especially in Europe. It’s abuse of power.”
The Price of Staying Ahead
Why would Google throw money at idle minds? The answer lies in the breakneck speed at which AI is evolving. With the success of models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s own Gemini, time isn’t just money—it’s dominance. Even a six-month delay in innovation could render a product obsolete in this hyper-competitive environment. By locking down talent—even if it means letting them twiddle their thumbs—Google effectively cuts off the oxygen supply to rival firms hungry for experienced researchers. It’s not about productivity today; it’s about stifling tomorrow’s competition. As one former DeepMind researcher put it, “AI is interesting. It seems to be the first time in my career that you have this insane race, like a space race. People really feel like to be six months ahead, a year ahead, could make all the difference.”
A Growing Backlash
But not everyone is buying into the golden handcuffs. Some former employees claim the lengthy noncompetes are stunting their careers. “Who wants to sign you for starting in a year?” said one disgruntled ex-Google staffer. “That’s forever in AI.”
The frustration is particularly acute in Europe, where such contracts are increasingly being viewed as anti-competitive and potentially unlawful. Critics argue that these agreements hurt innovation, trap talent, and create a chilling effect across the industry.
Google, however, maintains it’s playing by the rules. “Our employment contracts are in line with market standards,” the company said in a statement to Business Insider. “Given the sensitive nature of our work, we use noncompetes selectively to protect our legitimate interests.”
The Future of Work—or Just Corporate Paranoia?
What does this mean for the future of tech employment? Are we witnessing a tactical masterstroke or corporate paranoia taken too far?
In an era where AI could reshape everything from healthcare to warfare, the stakes have never been higher. But as the world marvels at the progress of machines, the people behind them are quietly being sidelined—not by incompetence, but by design.
Whether this is the cost of winning the AI war or a cautionary tale of corporate control, one thing is clear: in Google’s race to build the future, some of its brightest minds are being paid to pause—perhaps so others can’t press play.