Google CEO Sundar Pichai signals anticipated job cuts in 2024

Pichai foresees layoffs: Google CEO Sundar Pichai has informed employees to anticipate additional job cuts at the Alphabet-owned company in the coming year, as reported by The Verge citing an internal memo. Pichai emphasised that the layoffs are part of an effort to simplify execution and enhance speed in certain areas by eliminating organisational layers.

The move reflects a broader trend as companies increasingly turn to artificial intelligence and automation to streamline operations. Pichai assured employees that these job reductions won't be as extensive as those in the previous year and won't impact every team.

Strategic investment focus

Google is committed to investing in key priorities while pursuing ambitious goals. Last week, Google announced layoffs in various units, including Voice Assistant, hardware teams for Pixel, Nest, and Fitbit, advertising sales, and augmented reality. In January 2023, Alphabet disclosed plans to cut 12,000 jobs, constituting 6 per cent of its global workforce. As of September 2023, the company employed 182,381 people worldwide. A Google representative confirmed the issuance of an email to employees but declined to provide further details from the memo.

(With Reuters Inputs)