Google began offering the voluntary exit packages in June across markets such as Canada, France, Germany, Japan, and Switzerland. The targeted program explicitly shields priority growth sectors, including Google Cloud and the DeepMind artificial intelligence team, from any buyout rounds. In Switzerland, where departures commenced in August, exiting staff received one month of salary per year of service capped at 12 months. This managed reduction follows a turbulent period of Swiss engineering cuts in 2023 that previously triggered worker protests and a walkout.
Key points
Google is attempting to lower overall personnel costs to offset massive capital investmen…: Google is attempting to lower overall personnel costs to offset massive capital investments in artificial intelligence that have unsettled investors.
Chief Financial Officer Anat Ashkenazi has prioritized ongoing hiring and funding for clo…: Chief Financial Officer Anat Ashkenazi has prioritized ongoing hiring and funding for cloud and artificial intelligence infrastructure over other operational divisions.
The company's voluntary workforce reduction strategy follows similar industry actions, in…: The company's voluntary workforce reduction strategy follows similar industry actions, including Microsoft's recent buyout offer to 60,000 workers.
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ZURICH, Nov 4 : Alphabet's Google has expanded employee buyout offers to several countries this year as it looks to rein in rising costs amid heavy spending on artificial intelligence.
The search engine company confirmed to Reuters that it began offering voluntary exit packages in June to some employees in Canada, France, Germany, Japan and Switzerland.
Reuters could not determine how many employees have accepted the latest round of offers, which had not previously been reported.
"In 2025, some of our teams introduced a voluntary exit program with severance," a Google spokesperson said in a statement. "This past summer, in June, we expanded this program globally in a few countries to support our important work ahead."
The move comes amid mounting AI spending that has unnerved Wall Street and dented Alphabet's stock price. Microsoft last week offered voluntary buyouts to 60,000 employees in an effort to contain costs.
Alphabet's workforce has grown steadily in recent quarters, but it has sought to shift resources toward priority areas.
The latest buyouts follow voluntary exit programs offered since last year to employees in…
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