Hundreds of people in various divisions have been let go as a result of Google’s massive downsizing. These employees include members of the team responsible for voice-activated Google Assistant, as well as members of the Devices and Services Product Area (DSPA) team responsible for managing hardware products such as Pixel, Nest and Fitbit. The move is part of Google’s larger effort to simplify operations and focus on the most important product goals, and comes as part of that strategy.
This strategic move toward more efficient operations is reflected in the realignment of teams at Google, which is particularly important in light of the growing use of technologies that use generative artificial intelligence. Google announced that it planned to include generative artificial intelligence capabilities in its virtual assistant in the previous year. The company’s goal was to improve features such as travel planning and email management.
The Alphabet Workers Union, on the other hand, has expressed their disapproval of this restructuring, stating that the layoffs are needless” and that they are not in line with the profitability of the corporation. It was conveyed that the union is concerned about the job security of its members and that it is dedicated to the fight for the rights of its members .
Tonight, Google began a new round of unnecessary layoffs. Our members and teammates work hard every day to build great products for our users, and the company can’t keep laying off our colleagues while making billions every quarter. We will not stop fighting until our jobs are safe!
Google has reduced the number of its augmented reality (AR) hardware team in addition to the teams that work on the voice assistant and the hardware. For the purposes of future hardware development, the business intends to work together with other original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), thereby combining its hardware engineering efforts into one core team.
It’s important to note that James Park and Eric Friedman, who co-founded Fitbit, are leaving the company as part of this restructuring. One of the most important parts of Google’s hardware portfolio is the Pixel Watch line, which was introduced in large part thanks to Park’s input.
There’s been a trend of job cuts at Google that includes layoffs in several teams like Waze, Recruiting, and News, and these layoffs are the latest in a pattern. The company-wide layoff announcement of about 12,000 positions, representing roughly 6% of Google’s global workforce, was made by Google in January 2023.
The choice made by Google reflects a broader trend in the technology sector, which is that businesses are reassessing their staff in response to challenges coming from the economy and changing market expectations. This action is seen as a strategic realignment in order to prioritize investments and make the most of significant prospects in the future.
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