Google confirms it has already fired over 1000 employees in recent weeks, AI reorganisation going on

UPDATED: Jan 15, 2024 13:27 IST

Last week, Google announced fresh rounds of layoffs across its AI and hardware divisions. The tech giant confirmed that it is eliminating 'a few hundred' job roles across departments. However, the overall layoffs at Google are reported to be more than a hundred, and thousands of Googlers are said to be part of these recent job cuts.

A recent report by The Verge suggests that, in addition to the Google Hardware team responsible for Pixel, Nest, and Fitbit products, Google has implemented similar workforce reduction measures as part of the restructuring in Google's core engineering and Google Assistant teams. The company confirmed to the publication that these restructuring measures, encompassing "a few hundred" job cuts in each affected team, amounted to roughly 1,000 employees let go that day alone.

In a statement, Google spokesperson Courtenay Mencini said, "Several of our teams have recently implemented changes to improve efficiency and collaboration." However, the restructuring may not be over. Mencini indicated the possibility of further "organisational changes, including some role eliminations globally," in some unspecified teams.

Google's recent restructuring efforts, likely driven by the growing competitive landscape in artificial intelligence, raise the possibility of further workforce reductions across multiple divisions in the coming weeks. Microsoft and OpenAI's strong AI offerings are undoubtedly putting pressure on Google's core search business, prompting internal adjustments. While the extent of these potential job cuts remains unknown, Google's strategic planning amid this challenging market landscape suggests they're not off the table.

Google has been causing anxiety among its employees about their job security since it revealed a large-scale layoff in January 2023, which affected 6 per cent of its 12,000-strong global staff. The tech giant also carried out smaller rounds of layoffs throughout the year as part of its reorganisation strategy. It is worth noting that Google’s parent company Alphabet had 182,381 workers as of September 30th, 2023, so about a thousand layoffs would only account for half a percent of the total workforce.

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Meanwhile, the fear of layoffs isn't just gripping Google employees; it's spreading across Silicon Valley. With tech giants like Amazon, Meta, and others joining Google in announcing new rounds of job cuts, it echoes the wave of mass layoffs that shook the industry just last January.

Amazon recently announced another round of layoffs, impacting 'several hundred' employees from its Prime Video and MGM Studios division. The company has also reportedly instructed managers to further evaluate employees' performance, suggesting the possibility of additional job cuts based on performance reviews. Additionally, Amazon's subsidiary video streaming platform, Twitch, has disclosed layoffs affecting approximately 35 per cent of its workforce as part of restructuring and cost-cutting measures.

Meta also underwent recent restructuring, impacting 60 employees primarily in technical program manager (TPM) roles across the organisation. Sources cited by Business Insider claim this move, executed within the current week, signals a gradual phasing out of the TPM position. Affected employees now face a difficult choice: reapply and undergo a fresh interview process for program manager roles or face employment termination in March.