Google lays off unspecified number of employees, moves roles to other global hubs

Google Chief Financial Officer Ruth Porat wrote in a memo that there would be layoffs and relocations as AI shapes the tech sector

There is not yet official information on exactly how many people were laid off [File] | Photo Credit: AP

Google is laying off an unspecified number of employees and relocating some others to hubs in Atlanta, Bangalore, Chicago, Dublin, and Mexico City, Reuters reported.

“We collectively have to make tough decisions,” Google Chief Financial Officer Ruth Porat wrote in a memo that underlined the importance of organising teams to leverage changes AI has brought to the tech sector.

There is not yet official information on exactly how many people were laid off, and which teams were impacted by the cuts.

Google had already cut hundreds of roles earlier this year. CEO Sundar Pichai reportedly told workers to expect more layoffs this year.

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The company is looking to release generative AI-enabled products as it competes with rival Microsoft, which is in turn backing OpenAI.

Big Tech firms are prioritising AI by consolidating teams, slashing total headcount, or opening new hubs or offices in countries they feel are more tech friendly.

The organisation No Tech for Apartheid also claimed that Google fired at least a dozen workers this week for standing against the Project Nimbus contract with the government of Israel.