Google lays off hundreds across multiple teams

Google has announced that it is laying off hundreds of employees from several teams as part of its ongoing cost-cutting efforts.

In addition to the layoffs, James Park and Eric Friedman, the co-founders of fitness tracker company Fitbit, which Google acquired last year, are also leaving the company.

According to tech giant, it will lay off hundreds in its Voice Assistant unit. Additionally, several hundred positions are being eliminated within the hardware team handling Pixel, Nest, and Fitbit, with a predominant number of layoffs occurring in the augmented reality (AR) team. The central engineering team is also witnessing the impact, affecting hundreds of roles, according to the company’s statement.

Google bought health and fitness tracking company Fitbit for $2.1 billion in 2021 but has continued to roll out new versions of its Pixel Watch, a product that competes with some of Fitbit’s devices and also the Apple Watch.

“Throughout second-half of 2023, a number of our teams made changes to become more efficient and work better, and to align their resources to their biggest product priorities. Some teams are continuing to make these kinds of organizational changes, which include some role eliminations globally,” a spokesperson for Google said in a statement.

Also Read: Amazon to lay off several hundred staff

The spokesperson did not disclose the precise number of roles affected, and it remains unclear how many individuals are encompassed in the Google Assistant software and other associated teams.

The reorganization of certain teams comes at a time when companies like Microsoft  and Google are betting on the rising adoption of generative artificial intelligence (AI) technology following the success of OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

In 2020, Google revealed that it was working on integrating generative AI capabilities into its virtual assistant, which is designed to help people accomplish tasks more efficiently. The AI-powered assistant will be able to assist users with various activities, such as planning a trip or catching up on emails, by suggesting follow-up actions and asking relevant questions.

In January 2023, Alphabet unveiled intentions to reduce its workforce by 12,000 positions, constituting 6% of its global staff. By September 2023, Alphabet’s global employee count stood at 182,381.