Reportedly, Google will be cutting jobs in its HR division — known as “People Operations” — and its cloud unit.

According to Bloomberg, the cloud division cuts took place on Wednesday and impacted under 100 sales operations employees. After viewing a memo issued Tuesday by HR chief Fiona Cicconi, CNBC reported that for the HR unit, the tech giant is offering a “voluntary exit program to U.S.-based, full-time employees” starting in early March.

To encourage participation in the voluntary exit, level 4 and level 5 staffers, who generally hold mid- to senior-level positions, will supposedly get 14 weeks of salary and one extra week for every year of employment. Other job cuts specifically in the cloud segment reportedly include support staff, sales, customer service, and other internal teams. Unnamed sources said some workers will be relocated to India and Mexico, though others are being “consolidated or shifted within the U.S.”

“Our teams have continued to make changes to operate more efficiently, remove layers, and ensure they are set up for long-term success,” said spokesperson Brandon Asberry, according to CNBC. 

Google Reportedly Cutting Costs for Increased AI Spending

Google’s purported strategy is to reduce costs related to employees and funnel that money toward AI technology investments in 2025. According to the company’s leadership, the demand for AI is greater than Google can supply at the moment.

“This work is ongoing as we continue to invest in our company’s biggest priorities and the significant opportunities ahead,” Asberry explained.

Earlier this year, buyouts were reportedly offered to employees in Google’s “Platforms and Devices” group ahead of planned job cuts. This unit, which employs roughly 25,000 people, does work related to Android, Chrome, ChromeOS, Google Photos, Nest, Google One, Pixel, and Fitbit.

Whether it’s AI, worker performance issues, or cheaper labor outside the U.S., layoffs in the tech industry have become the norm recently. Meta cut 5% of its workers in January — about 3,600 people — after CEO Mark Zuckerberg mandated an initiative to “move out low-performers faster.” Software company Salesforce cut jobs in the U.S. earlier this month and shifted hiring toward foreign countries where it can pay employees less.

In January 2024, Google laid off hundreds of workers, mostly engineers, to reduce costs in various units, including the Google Assist team. At the time, the job cuts were made so the company could shift resources toward other priorities, namely AI development.

Per reports, the tech firm is still apparently hiring for various sales and engineering positions.