The layoffs are speculated to be due to Google's recent shift towards AI, with the company stating that restructuring would help improve Google Assistant as it integrates newer artificial intelligence technology into its products. Despite the layoffs, Google has assured affected employees of its support and encouraged them to seek new opportunities within the company. However, with more layoffs anticipated, prospects of rehiring seem bleak.
Key takeaways:
- Google announced layoffs impacting the augmented reality (AR) hardware, Google Assistant, and core engineering divisions, aiming to enhance efficiency and align resources with the company's major product priorities.
- Google CEO Sundar Pichai stated that the layoffs are focused on simplifying execution and driving velocity in some areas, and assured that these role eliminations will not be on the same scale as last year's reductions.
- Google's parent company, Alphabet, laid off 12,000 jobs in January 2023 due to over-hiring to match and fuel two years of dramatic growth.
- The Alphabet Workers Union reported that Google laid off nearly 15,000 employees over the past year, and it is speculated that these layoffs are due to Google's recent shift towards AI.