Google has extended its voluntary buyout offer to employees in several countries, including Canada, France, Germany, Japan and Switzerland. The voluntary exit packages were offered in June this year, and it remains unclear if employees have accepted them.
This comes as technology giants continue to spend heavily on the development of artificial intelligence (AI), with voluntary buyouts forming part of a broader strategy to rein in rising costs. A Google spokesperson confirmed, "This past summer, in June, we expanded this program globally in a few countries to support important work ahead."
Last week, Microsoft also offered voluntary buyouts to a section of its employees, reflecting a wider trend across the technology sector. The search engine company has now expanded a program previously offered in the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK).
In Switzerland, where Google employs around 5,000 people, employees who accepted the packages began leaving in August, according to three people familiar with the matter. The company offered one month's salary for every year of service, with payments capped at 12 months.
At least four employees from a team of around 50 accepted the offer. However, employees working at Google's artificial intelligence research unit, DeepMind, were excluded from the programme.
The company has also kept workers in its cloud computing division outside previous buyout offers as it continues to prioritise investment in AI and cloud technology. Industry analysts note that shifting capital toward automated systems and machine learning models requires structural adjustments within major tech corporations.
Google previously laid off more than 200 employees in Switzerland in 2023, prompting protests and a walkout by staff. Further announcements regarding organizational changes are expected as corporate budgets adjust for the upcoming fiscal quarters.