Published , by Sam Chandler
Published , by Sam Chandler
Each week that goes by seems to bring with it news of more layoffs. The latest company that is restructuring positions is Google, which will lay off 200 employees from its Core units and replace these positions with workers from other key markets, namely India and Mexico.
On May 1, 2024, Jennifer Elias of CNBC reported that Google will lay off 200 employees from its Core unit, which is responsible for building the company’s technical foundation. Elias notes that the Core teams cover a lot of different sectors including its Python developer team, technical infrastructure, security foundation, and more.
Asim Husain, vice president of Google Developer Ecosystem, wrote in an email to employees last week that this would be the biggest reduction in his team for the year and that the company intends to maintain its global footprint. Google will fill these vacancies with employees from Bangalore and Mexico City. The company is touting that this is a bid to build teams closer to key markets.
These layoffs with employee positions being shifted to areas where labor is cheaper follows on from Google’s Q1 2024 earnings where it beat EPS and revenue expectations, reported $8 billion in YouTube ad revenue, its stock hit an all-time high, and the company announced its first cash dividend policy.
Elias goes on to note that of the areas where layoffs will occur some are critical to Google’s governance and protected data group. She points out that this particular area will be at the forefront of the regulatory changes that developers of artificial intelligence will need to consider. It will be interesting to see how Google manages to keep ahead of the various AI-focused Acts while these positions are shifted internationally.
Layoffs continue to permeate the technology industry, with Tesla laying off its Supercharger network team and Take-Two reducing its workforce by 5 percent while also shutting Intercept Games and Roll7. In a time where companies are hitting revenue targets, it’s disappointing to see the employees that got them there being the first on the chopping block.