Google is set to make more layoffs in an effort to cut costs, with reports indicating that the company will be reducing its workforce in various departments. This move follows previous rounds of job cuts implemented by Google, including in its news and recruitment divisions.
A spokesperson for Google revealed that the affected employees will have the opportunity to apply for other positions within the company, with some roles being transferred to new locations in India, Dublin, Chicago, and Atlanta. The spokesperson explained that these changes are aimed at increasing efficiency, streamlining resources, and aligning with the company’s key product priorities.
Last year, Google underwent restructuring that resulted in job cuts in several areas, and in January, the company announced layoffs in divisions such as the Voice Assistant unit, hardware teams, and parts of the augmented reality (AR) team as it shifted focus towards AI development.
In a recent development, Google terminated 28 employees who protested against Project Nimbus, a cloud services contract with the Israeli government. The protest, organized by a group called No Tech for Apartheid, raised concerns about the contract’s alleged role in enabling the Israeli Defence Force to target Palestinians in the Gaza conflict.
Nine protesting employees were arrested, with charges of criminal trespass filed against them after they refused to leave Google’s offices in Sunnyvale, California, and New York. An internal memo from Google’s VP global security announced the termination of the employees involved in the protest.
This recent move by Google comes amid growing concerns about the company’s business practices and its engagement with controversial projects. Amazon, another tech giant, is also part of the cloud contract with the Israeli government, raising similar issues and calls for scrutiny.
