Google Cuts Hundreds of Jobs

Paresh Jadhav

12 months ago

These cuts affect hardware teams handling Pixel, Nest and Fitbit devices as well as Google’s AR/VR products; many roles will be eliminated according to reports from 9to5Google and Semafor.

Alphabet-owned Google will slash hundreds of jobs as it streamlines operations and prioritizes product priorities. This reorganization will impact its central engineering, hardware and Google Assistant teams.

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Pixel and Fitbit

Google announced late Wednesday night that it is making cuts in its hardware and voice assistance divisions in order to focus on artificial intelligence. Citing “organizational changes”, as well as an intention of allocating more resources towards its highest priorities.

Restructuring will impact employees in central engineering, Google Assistant and Pixel hardware teams; certain roles will also be eliminated globally according to an official statement from Google.

Recent tech job cuts reflect post-pandemic shifts and intense competition. Amazon recently laid off workers in its Prime Video and MGM Studios divisions while game-making software maker Unity cut 35% of its workforce.

Layoffs at Fitbit may have resulted from plans announced this month by CEO Sundar Pichai to merge both companies by 2022.

Google Assistant

Since its debut in May 2016, Google Assistant has become a lifesaver, helping make lives simpler and more efficient for millions. You can use it on a smartphone, Nest device or both, listening to music, answering questions or managing connected home devices – and more!

This round of layoffs reportedly impacts many workers within Google’s hardware teams for Pixel, Nest and Fitbit devices as well as central engineering staffers as well as its augmented reality hardware development group – including co-founders James Park and Eric Friedman who will lose their jobs from its Google Assistant team.

Alphabet Workers Union, representing employees, has expressed outrage at these cuts as “needless.” In a post to their X social media platform (formerly Twitter), Alphabet Workers Union expressed its outrage that there has been so many job losses since October. They did not provide an exact figure.

Android

Google announced late Wednesday night that hundreds of employees working on its Android smartphones and augmented reality hardware would be leaving as part of its ongoing effort to drive efficiency and prioritize product priorities, according to their statement.

They are ready to lay off employees in its central engineering and hardware teams as well as those working on Google Assistant – its voice-activated software product – as part of an ongoing process begun last year when parent Alphabet reduced employment by 12,000 jobs or about 6% of its workforce.

Other tech companies have also been making cuts. Amazon announced hundreds of job cuts at its Prime Video and studio divisions this week; while Unity, which provides software to assist video game designers, laid off more than half its staff. These cuts follow pledges by executives to scrutinize costs and trim areas that don’t bring in revenue; they also come as competitors like Microsoft increase their own AI offerings in an attempt to win market share.

Google Cloud

Google Cloud provides users with an accessible data storage and retrieval solution from any location around the globe, offering a host of features and options designed to make it more user-friendly for those less proficient with tech. Furthermore, there are certification paths designed to verify users’ skillset with this platform.

As with all public clouds, Google Cloud Platform faces intense competition from vendors who each offer their own offerings. Amazon AWS leads this space with its suite of general tools and services while Microsoft Azure has gained momentum by providing more targeted options for enterprise users. They tries to maintain its lead by investing heavily in artificial intelligence research.

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