UK moves to ban non-compete clauses restricting AI researchers' job mobility
The UK government plans to outlaw non-compete agreements, targeting practices like those used by Google DeepMind that keep AI staff on paid garden-leave.
The United Kingdom intends to introduce legislation that bans non-compete clauses preventing employees from joining competing firms for months after they leave. Prime Minister Andy Burnham unveiled the plan in Manchester, warning that such restraints, exemplified by Google DeepMind’s practice of placing researchers on garden-leave with full pay, dampen innovation. AI minister Kanishka Narayan added that the review will also address excessive notice periods, seeking to enable talent to move to rapidly expanding startups like Anthropic, OpenAI and Meta.
Momentum for the change grew after 20 founders, among them Inherent Labs, signed an open letter highlighting the competitive disadvantage versus California’s non-enforcement stance. Google argues its selective use of non-competes aligns with market norms, while former DeepMind director Nando de Freitas reported frequent employee queries about escaping these clauses. The final shape of the ban—whether total or limited by salary thresholds or duration—will be shaped through consultation with industry stakeholders.
Why it matters
Banning non-competes could free AI talent to move between firms, boosting innovation and competition in the UK tech sector.
In this story
