NEW YORK: Google has executed major layoffs, primarily impacting core engineering divisions, the hardware teams responsible for Pixel and Fitbit devices, and the group behind Google Assistant. The layoffs were initially reported by The New York Times and Semafor and have now been officially confirmed by Google.
The core engineering team witnessed significant reductions, affecting “several hundred” workers who received notices and experienced a loss of system access, according to The New York Times.
Meanwhile, Google’s devices and services team, responsible for the design of smartphones, smartwatches, and fitness trackers, underwent restructuring on Monday, leading to the elimination of hundreds of roles, as reported by 9to5Google. The restructuring also impacted Google Assistant, the company’s artificial intelligence-driven voice assistant, with layoffs seen as part of a broader plan to integrate newer AI technology into the service.
Organizational Shifts in Google
Responding to the layoffs, a Google spokesperson informed Forbes that these changes are part of organizational shifts aimed at enhancing efficiency, fostering collaboration, and aligning resources with the company’s core product priorities. The spokesperson emphasized Google’s commitment to supporting affected employees in finding new roles within the company or elsewhere.
This round of layoffs follows Google’s earlier workforce reductions at the beginning of 2023, where approximately 12,000 employees, constituting around six percent of the workforce, were let go. The decision, made amid concerns of a global economic downturn following a Covid-19-induced hiring boom, drew criticism from CEO Sundar Pichai, who acknowledged that the layoffs could have been handled more effectively in an internal meeting in December.
In the broader context of the tech industry, Google’s recent job cuts align with similar actions taken by companies like Amazon, Twitch, and Unity, reflecting an ongoing trend of workforce reductions in the sector.
