[News] Google to Slash Silicon Valley Roles Effective Nov. 9 After Over 100 Cloud Division Layoffs

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Google is cutting dozens of positions across its Silicon Valley offices. State filings with California’s Employment Development Department show that at least 50 permanent layoffs were slated to take effect on November 9.

The report adds that these cuts follow broader reductions earlier in the week, when Google eliminated over 100 design-related roles in its cloud division. CNBC, citing Business Insider, reports that the affected teams included Google Cloud’s “quantitative user experience research” and “platform and service experience” groups, along with several adjacent teams.

In addition, Tom’s Hardware, citing Wired, notes that in September Google laid off more than 200 contractors working on its AI products, including Gemini and search AI overviews. The contractors mainly worked at GlobalLogic, a software developer owned by Hitachi, the report adds.

The recent rounds of layoffs reflects Google’s efforts to cut costs and redirect resources toward AI infrastructure, as CNBC indicates. Since the start of this year, the company has offered voluntary exit packages to multiple U.S. divisions and reduced by more than one-third the number of managers overseeing small teams.

CNBC further notes that Google’s workforce reductions are part of a broader trend across the tech sector. Microsoft cut about 9,000 jobs in July, while Meta has also trimmed staff in recent months. Reuters, citing Business Insider, additionally reports that Elon Musk’s xAI laid off at least 500 employees from its data annotation team in September.

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