Key facts
- Google is laying off employees within its Cloud division.
- The Threat Intelligence Group, a cybersecurity unit, was impacted.
- Cuts also affected employees at Mandiant, a cybersecurity company acquired by Google.
- Google cited reinvestment in AI as a reason for the layoffs.
- This follows similar workforce reductions at other Big Tech companies.
Google is implementing layoffs within its Cloud division, impacting various teams including the elite Threat Intelligence Group and employees at Mandiant, a cybersecurity firm acquired by Google in 2022. These cuts are part of a wider trend in the tech industry, where companies are trimming workforces while significantly increasing investments in artificial intelligence. Employees have been sharing news of the layoffs on LinkedIn. Google stated that the company regularly evaluates its internal structures to align with evolving customer and industry demands, with one source indicating that the need to reinvest in growth areas like AI was a justification for the move. This follows similar actions by other major tech firms such as Meta, Coinbase, and Block, which have also cited AI as a reason for workforce reductions. Last year, Google Cloud also saw some staff reductions, primarily in user experience roles.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai. Sergei GAPON / AFP via Getty Images Google is laying off some employees across its vast Cloud division. One elite cybersecurity unit, the Threat Intelligence Group, was hit with cuts yesterday. Tech companies across Silicon Valley are trimming their workforces as they pour billions into AI. Google is the latest Big Tech company to do layoffs this year. Employees working at Google Cloud have been hit by cuts over the last two weeks, two people familiar with the matter told Business Insider. One team, Google's Threat Intelligence Group, which is one of Google's top security units and regularly publishes research about hackers, was impacted yesterday, the people said. Some employees have been posting about the layoffs on LinkedIn. The cuts were not limited to that unit, affecting others at Mandiant — a cybersecurity company bought by Google in 2022 — and within Google Cloud, the people added. It's unclear exactly how many people were impacted and why the cuts are happening now. In one instance, Google cited the need to reinvest in growth areas, such as AI, to justify the move, one of the people said. "We regularly evaluate our internal structures to ensure we are best positioned to meet the evolving demands of our customers and the industry," a Google spokesperson told Business Insider. The cuts are just the latest to hit Big Tech as companies pour billions into AI. Meta laid off 10% of its staff last month, while others like Coinbase and Block used AI to justify big cuts earlier this year. Cybersecurity has also been affected: Cloudflare laid off more than 1,100 employees earlier last month as it prepares for the "agentic AI era." Last year, Google Cloud quietly let go of some staff, mostly in user experience roles, Business Insider reported.