This move mirrors similar actions taken by other Big Tech companies, such as Meta, which also cut jobs to make way for AI advancements. The trend marks a shift from the mass hiring seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. Critics have accused companies like Meta and Google of hiring thousands of people to do "fake work" to meet hiring metrics. Other tech giants, including Amazon and Salesforce, also laid off thousands of employees in 2023.
Key takeaways:
- Google is planning to cut jobs as part of a wider decision to invest further into emerging technologies like AI, according to an internal memo from CEO Sundar Pichai.
- The exact number of jobs to be cut has not been confirmed, and the layoffs will not affect every team or be on the same scale as a similar action last year.
- Google's push into large language models has faced challenges, including an event where its Bard bot gave out inaccurate information, causing a significant drop in the company's shares.
- Other big tech companies, such as Meta, have also made significant job cuts in an effort to invest in AI and streamline their organizations.