**Google Lays Off Over 100 Employees in Cloud Design Teams**
*By Akash Pandey | Oct 02, 2025, 10:42 AM*
Google has recently cut more than 100 employees from design-related roles within its cloud unit. This move forms part of the tech giant’s broader cost-cutting measures and its strategic shift toward artificial intelligence (AI).
According to internal documents obtained by CNBC, the layoffs impacted teams involved in “quantitative user experience research” and “platform and service experience,” along with several adjacent groups. Some teams faced particularly severe reductions, with cuts reaching up to half of their members.
Most of the affected employees are based in the United States and have been given until early December to secure another role within Google.
### Strategic Shift Towards AI
Since early 2025, Google has been offering voluntary exit packages across its U.S.-based units as it pushes forward with AI integration. Alongside layoffs, the company has been reducing the number of managers overseeing small teams and encouraging staff to incorporate AI into their daily workflows.
These workforce changes have extended beyond the cloud unit, affecting multiple divisions including human resources, hardware, advertising, search, finance, and commerce — all part of Google’s ongoing strategy to pivot faster towards AI technologies.
### Leadership’s Perspective
Google CEO Sundar Pichai emphasized the importance of improving efficiency amid the company’s AI-driven transformation, stating the need to “be more efficient as we scale up.” This sentiment underscores that the recent headcount reductions are components of a larger, long-term plan.
In parallel, Google continues to heavily invest in AI infrastructure to maintain its competitive edge against other industry leaders such as Microsoft and Meta.
—
As Google repositions itself around AI, these organizational changes highlight the company’s commitment to evolving its workforce and technology to stay ahead in the rapidly changing tech landscape.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/business/google-cuts-cloud-design-roles-as-focus-shifts-to-ai/story