Alphabet’s Google said on Wednesday that it is laying off hundreds of individuals working on its voice-activated Google Assistant software, as well as removing a comparable number of posts in the company’s Devices and Services unit.
The layoffs at Google Assistant, originally reported by news outlet Semafor, are part of a series of organizational changes that began in the second half of 2023, including layoffs at the company’s mapping software Waze.
A few hundred positions are being cut from the business’s Devices and Services team, with the bulk going to the 1P AR hardware team, according to the company, corroborating a claim by tech media website 9to5Google, which originally reported the restructuring.
The co-founders of Google-owned Fitbit, James Park, and Eric Friedman, as well as other Fitbit executives, are leaving Google, according to a 9to5Google story.
“Throughout the second half of 2023, a number of our teams implemented adjustments to improve efficiency and productivity, as well as to match their resources with their top product goals. Some teams are still implementing this kind of organizational reforms, including function eliminations throughout the world,” a spokeswoman told Reuters.
The representative did not identify the number of affected positions. It is unclear how many individuals are on the Google Assistant software, Devices, and Services teams.
As of September 2023, Alphabet has 182,381 workers worldwide.
Google and other tech firms have been vying to incorporate some type of generative AI into new and current products.
Last October, the firm announced ambitions to incorporate generative AI elements from its Bard chatbot into Google’s version of a virtual assistant, which promises to deliver customized reasoning and generative skills to mobile users.
Google LLC is an American multinational technology business that specializes in artificial intelligence, online advertising, search engine technology, cloud computing, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, and consumer electronics.
It has been dubbed “the most powerful company in the world” and one of the world’s most valuable brands as a result of its market domination, data harvesting, and technical advances in artificial intelligence. Google’s parent firm Alphabet Inc., along with Amazon, Apple Inc., Meta, and Microsoft, is one of the five major technology corporations.
Advertising accounts for the vast majority of Google’s income. This includes app sales, in-app purchases, digital content goods on Google, YouTube, and Android, as well as licensing and service fees, including Google Cloud offers.
Advertising accounts for the vast majority of Google’s income. This includes app sales, in-app purchases, digital content goods on Google, YouTube, and Android, as well as licensing and service fees, including Google Cloud offers.
