Google is set to witness additional job cuts this year, according to an internal memo sent by CEO Sundar Pichai, giving employees at the Alphabet-owned company a heads up about the decision.
The announcement, reported by The Verge on Wednesday, 17th January 2024, showed Pichai noting that 2024’s layoffs are targeted at eliminating organisational layers, and the objective is not to repeat the scale of the job reductions Google executed in 2023.
“These role eliminations are not at the scale of last year’s reductions, and will not touch every team,” Pichai stated in the memo. He reassured employees that despite the necessary adjustments, Google remains committed to its ambitious goals and will continue to invest in significant priorities throughout the year.
According to Reuters, a Google representative confirmed the distribution of the internal email, but declined to disclose specific details from the memo. Last week, Google had already initiated layoffs in various units, including Voice Assistant, hardware teams responsible for Pixel, Nest, and Fitbit, advertising sales, and the augmented reality team.
This announcement follows Alphabet’s announcement in January 2023, where the company revealed plans to cut 12,000 jobs, constituting 6% of its global workforce. As of September 2023, Alphabet’s workforce consisted of over 182,000 people worldwide.
The move aligns with industry trends as companies increasingly turn to artificial intelligence software and automation to optimise workflows and reduce workloads.
