Google has initiated another round of buyouts across several key departments as part of ongoing cost-cutting efforts, ahead of a crucial court ruling that could force the company to break up its internet empire. The Mountain View, California-based tech giant confirmed the layoffs, which were first reported by multiple news outlets.
While the exact number of affected employees remains unclear, buyout offers have been extended to staff in Google’s search, advertising, research, and engineering teams, according to reports. Google represents the majority of the nearly 186,000 employees working under its parent company, Alphabet Inc.
A Google spokesperson, Courtenay Mencini, said, “Earlier this year, some teams launched a voluntary exit program with severance for U.S.-based employees, and now several more teams are offering similar programs to support our important work ahead.” Mencini also mentioned that some teams are requesting remote employees who live near offices to return to a hybrid work model to encourage more in-person collaboration.
This move comes as Google awaits a federal judge’s decision on a case brought by the U.S. Justice Department that declared its search engine an illegal monopoly. Judge Amit Mehta is considering a government proposal that could ban Google from paying over $26 billion annually to Apple and other tech firms to maintain its dominance as the default search engine, require it to share data with competitors, and force the sale of its popular Chrome browser. The ruling is expected before Labor Day and could allow Google to appeal last year’s monopoly finding.
Like many Big Tech companies, Google has been trimming its workforce since 2023, reversing the hiring surge prompted by increased digital demand during the pandemic. The company began this process with layoffs of 12,000 employees in early 2023 and has since continued to reduce staff in some areas to strengthen profits, while simultaneously increasing investment in artificial intelligence. This AI technology is transforming Google’s search engine into a more conversational and responsive platform.
