Google will lay off several hundred workers across multiple parts of its business as the search giant shifts more resources toward the rapid development of artificial intelligence, the corporate confirmed Thursday.
A couple of hundred employees were cut from Google’s core engineering team, the corporate said. Google also cut hundreds of workers from the division working on its “Voice Assistant” program
Google slashed hundreds of other roles while streamlining its hardware division, which is answerable for devices such as the Pixel, Nest and Fitbit.
The precise number of employees impacted by the cuts was not immediately clear. Google had greater than 182,000 employees around the globe as of last fall, filings showed.
“As we’ve said, we’re responsibly investing in our company’s biggest priorities and the numerous opportunities ahead,” a Google spokesperson said in a press release. “To best position us for these opportunities, throughout the second half of 2023, a number of our teams made changes to turn into more efficient and work higher, and to align their resources to their biggest product priorities.”
“Some teams are continuing to make these kinds of organizational changes, which include some role eliminations globally. We’re continuing to support any impacted employees as they give the impression of being for brand spanking new roles here at Google and beyond,” the spokesperson added.
The workforce shakeup comes as Google, Microsoft and other Big Tech firms are locked in intense competition to construct advanced AI tools.
In December, Google rolled out its latest generative AI product called Gemini, which can directly compete with Microsoft-backed OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
The ousted employees will give you the option to use for other roles at the corporate.
Google can also be providing them with resources such as outplacement services and severance, the corporate said.
Semafor and 9to5 were first to report on the layoffs.
Google confirmed the restructuring and said the cuts were routine organizational changes.
Google most recently laid off about 12,000 workers across the corporate last January.