Google’s bold AI strategy: Paying employees to stay home and do nothing?

In a surprising turn of corporate strategy, tech giant Google is reportedly offering full-time salaries to key employees—without requiring them to work. This unconventional move is part of a broader effort to secure top talent in the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence.

Rather than risk losing critical staff to competitors like OpenAI, Microsoft, or other AI startups, Google is placing select employees on extended paid leave. The catch? They’re not assigned any projects, deadlines, or deliverables. Their only job is to not jump ship.

Insiders suggest the strategy is a calculated response to an increasingly competitive talent market, where poaching has become commonplace and innovations are moving at breakneck speed. By “benching” high-value talent with attractive salaries, Google ensures its intellectual firepower stays within the company—even if unused in the short term.

Critics argue this is a sign of internal disarray or excess cash flow, while others view it as a forward-thinking move in an industry where ideas and expertise are more valuable than ever.

Whether it’s brilliance or overkill, one thing is clear: Google is playing the long game in the AI race—and it’s willing to pay for silence.

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