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Sundar Pichai, Alphabet's CEO, said in a staff memo shared with
Reuters that the company had rapidly expanded headcount in
recent years "for a different economic reality than the one we
face today."
"I take full responsibility for the decisions that led us here,"
he said.
The cuts come days after rival Microsoft Corp said it would lay
off 10,000 workers.
Alphabet's job losses affect teams across the company including
recruiting and some corporate functions, as well as some
engineering and products teams.
The layoffs are global and impact U.S. staff immediately.
Alphabet has already emailed affected employees, the memo said,
while the process will take longer in other countries due to
local employment laws and practices.
The news comes during a period of economic uncertainty as well
as technological promise, in which Google and Microsoft have
been investing in a burgeoning area of software known as
generative artificial intelligence.
"I am confident about the huge opportunity in front of us thanks
to the strength of our mission, the value of our products and
services, and our early investments in AI," Pichai said in the
note.
Reuters was first to report the news.
(Reporting by Jeffrey Dastin in Davos, Switzerland; Editing by
Elaine Hardcastle and Alexander Smith)
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