Heaptalk, Jakarta — Google has terminated hundreds of workforces working on the hardware, voice-assistance, engineering, and hardware teams responsible for products like the Pixel phone, Fitbit watches, and Nest thermostat as part of cost-cutting measures.
As stated in the company’s letter to the employees, “We have had to make some complicated determinations about the ongoing employment of several Google employees and we regret to inform you that your position is being eliminated,”
The cuts come as this US-based company responsibly invests in its biggest priorities and the significant opportunities ahead. The company continues to make organizational changes, including role elimination globally.
Based on the Semaphore report, the company explained that this restructuring will help improve the Google Assistant business line as the technology company is exploring integrating artificial intelligence (AI)technology into its products. Google will also restructure the company’s advertising sales department, which has around 30,000 employees, as AI’s role in this area continues to increase. The company claims to have discussed with its Google Ads employees across departments.
This restructuring occurred when world technology companies such as Microsoft, Amazon, and Google competed to improve their generative AI technology following the emergence of OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Moreover, Google announced plans to add generative AI technology to its virtual assistant. This AI technology can go beyond voice, understand and adapt to the user, and handle personal tasks in new methods.
As is known, this search engine company has executed multiple layoffs of its team. In September 2023, the parent company, Google Alphabet, laid off about 12,000 employees, approximately 6% as of early January 2023, impacting global employees.
Previously, this technology company announced another job-cutting move toward employees in the mapping applications business line Waze. According to the email from the Head of Google’s maps division (Geo), Chris Philips, the company will inform its advertisers and partners team about this shocking announcement on June 2023. This layoff comes after this giant technology company based in the United States acquired the Waze Advertisement system with Google Advertisement technology for about US$1.3 billion in 2013.
