Google cuts jobs on the team working on voice assistant

These were tough days for employees all around the globe. After recent layoffs at Twitch, Duolingo, and Amazon, Google implemented a company-wide restructuring that reduced its workforce in specific areas. 

Here are the affected teams:

• Voice Assistant: Hundreds of roles within the unit will be eliminated.
• Hardware: Google’s hardware division, encompassing Pixel, Nest, and Fitbit, will see workforce reductions, with the augmented reality (AR) team experiencing the most significant impact. There is more about it here.
• Executive Departures: James Park and Eric Friedman, co-founders of Fitbit, are leaving the company.

The exact number of impacted roles is unclear, but it is likely in the hundreds. In January last year, Google’s parent Alphabet announced plans to cut 12,000 jobs worldwide, equivalent to 6% of its global workforce. As of September 2023, Alphabet had 182,381 employees across the world.

What could be the possible reasons behind it? The layoffs and reorganization are likely part of Google’s efforts to cut costs and become more efficient as it invests in new technologies like generative AI.

It is unclear what the impact of the layoffs will be on Google’s products and services. However, some features and products will likely be scaled back or eliminated. Would it be safe to say this might delay Google Pixel exclusive Pixie voice assistant?

More here.