---
format: "aidr-story-markdown/v1"
id: "30fbee2ff678f3cef3657c8dadbed2e70ffc7e2d4038403845b94263b377a572"
canonical_url: "https://aidr.today/30fbee2f?lang=en"
title: "UK AI Researchers Push Garden Leave Ban to Stop 1 Year Startup Delay"
lang: "en"
requested_lang: "en"
available_langs: ["en","vi"]
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published_at: "2026-08-15T14:39:52.000Z"
category: "Regulation"
topics: ["talent","policy","UK","startups"]
source_urls: ["https://huggingnews.com/ai/uk-ai-researchers-push-garden-leave-ban-to-stop-1-year-startup-delay-04dce2f0","https://x.com/NandoDF/status/2088553809509240856","https://x.com/NandoDF/status/2088596095953695164","https://x.com/NandoDF/status/2088606495554363631","https://x.com/NandoDF/status/2088608005881315329","https://x.com/NandoDF/status/2088625775469531259"]
summary: "British artificial intelligence researchers and venture capitalists are calling on the government to make mandatory garden leave optional for employees. The proposal aims to prevent American technology companies from blocking the launch of domestic startups and the hiring of talent for up to a year, a restriction that does not exist for employees in California. Google DeepMind imposes one year of garden leave for senior researchers and six months for junior staff, requiring some contracts to be signed at the time of promotion rather than hire. Nobel laureate John Jumper, a co creator of AlphaFold, is serving a one year leave before starting a new venture."
---

# UK AI Researchers Push Garden Leave Ban to Stop 1 Year Startup Delay

> [Open the canonical story](<https://aidr.today/30fbee2f?lang=en>)

**Published:** 2026-08-15T14:39:52.000Z
**Category:** Regulation
**Topics:** talent, policy, UK, startups

## Summary

British artificial intelligence researchers and venture capitalists are calling on the government to make mandatory garden leave optional for employees\. The proposal aims to prevent American technology companies from blocking the launch of domestic startups and the hiring of talent for up to a year, a restriction that does not exist for employees in California\. Google DeepMind imposes one year of garden leave for senior researchers and six months for junior staff, requiring some contracts to be signed at the time of promotion rather than hire\. Nobel laureate John Jumper, a co creator of AlphaFold, is serving a one year leave before starting a new venture\.

## Sources

- [Story source](<https://huggingnews.com/ai/uk-ai-researchers-push-garden-leave-ban-to-stop-1-year-startup-delay-04dce2f0>)
- [Story source](<https://x.com/NandoDF/status/2088553809509240856>)
- [Supporting source](<https://x.com/NandoDF/status/2088596095953695164>)
- [Supporting source](<https://x.com/NandoDF/status/2088606495554363631>)
- [Supporting source](<https://x.com/NandoDF/status/2088608005881315329>)
- [Supporting source](<https://x.com/NandoDF/status/2088625775469531259>)