Google lays off hundreds to cut costs
Alphabet’s Google said on Wednesday it is laying off hundreds of employees across multiple teams, with Fitbit co-founders James Park and Eric Friedman also leaving the company, as the tech giant continues to cut costs.
Google said it will lay off hundreds at its Voice Assistant unit, while a few hundred roles are being eliminated in the hardware team responsible for Pixel, Nest and Fitbit, with the majority of people in the augmented reality (AR) team being let go. Hundreds of roles in the search giant’s central engineering team are also being impacted, the company said.
Read Google launches Gemini, upping the stakes in the global AI race
Google bought health and fitness tracking company Fitbit for $2.1 billion in 2021 but has continued to roll out new versions of its Pixel Watch, a product that competes with some of Fitbit’s devices and also the Apple Watch.
The reorganisation of certain teams comes at a time when companies like Microsoft and Google are betting on the rising adoption of generative AI technology.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 12th, 2024.
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