Layoffs at Google: Sundar Pichai announces major job cuts at Google, with 10% of management positions to be eliminated

As part of its ongoing efforts to streamline operations, Google has reduced its top management positions by 10%, CEO Sundar Pichai announced Wednesday at an all-hands meeting. This move is part of a year-long efficiency offensive aimed at simplifying the company and increasing productivity.

The decision, which impacts executive, director and vice president positions, was made in line with the tech giant’s evolving business goals.

A Google spokesperson told Business Insider that some of the affected leadership roles have been transitioned to non-management roles, while others have been eliminated entirely. This represents a continuation of Google’s efficiency strategy first outlined in September 2022, when Pichai targeted a 20% increase in efficiency.

This push gained momentum with the company’s January 2023 layoffs, which eliminated 12,000 jobs, about 6% of the workforce. This was one of the most significant rounds of job cuts in Google’s history.

Google’s quest for efficiency comes with increasing competition in the field of artificial intelligence. Competitors like OpenAI have launched groundbreaking products and pose a threat to Google’s dominance in areas like search.

In response, Google has ramped up its AI initiatives, adding generative AI capabilities to its core businesses and introducing innovative tools. Recent launches include an AI video generator that has reportedly outperformed OpenAI generators in testing, and the Gemini line of models, which includes a “reasoning model” designed to illustrate the decision-making process.

During the same meeting, Pichai addressed a different topic: redefining “Googleyness,” a term often used internally to describe company culture and values. “It’s time to update what Googleyness means for today’s Google,” he told employees, signaling a cultural shift to adapt to the company’s modern challenges.