New Delhi: Google is rumoured to have made another round of layoffs, this time within its cloud division. The cuts follow as tech giants restructure their
workforces amid a surge in investments in AI.
Over the last couple of weeks, a report from Business Insider indicates that workers at multiple teams at Google Cloud have been affected. The number of workers impacted is not yet known. The relocation, however, comes on the heels of other job cuts in the tech industry this year.
Security and cybersecurity teams affected
One of the affected teams was Google’s Threat Intelligence Group, which is a leading cybersecurity research team and publishes research on hacking groups and cyber threats, according to Business Insider. A few workers who’ve been impacted by the cuts have reportedly been posting updates on LinkedIn since the announcement.
The report also noted that job cuts were continued on other teams at Mandiant, acquired by Google in 2022, and other teams at Google Cloud.
Google points to business priorities
Google hasn’t revealed the number of employees that were let go, nor does it explain why. But one source inside the company quoted by Business Insider said it was noting the necessity to invest resources into high-growth regions, such as AI.
“We regularly evaluate our internal structures to ensure we are best positioned to meet the evolving demands of our customers and the industry,” a Google spokesperson told Business Insider.
AI investments continue to reshape big tech
The cuts are the newest in a technology sector-wide trend. Businesses are investing in AI tools and infrastructure, as well as reviewing workforce requirements elsewhere.
This year, a number of large companies have announced cutbacks in their staff. Meta has cut about 10% of its employees in the past month. AI has also been a talking point for Coinbase and Block, as they’ve announced layoffs. Meanwhile, Cloudflare recently laid off more than 1,100 employees as it prepares for what it described as the “agentic AI era”.
Google Cloud has had similar restructuring in the past. The company had previously released that it had made a number of cuts last year, including in user experience and design teams.
