Google expands voluntary departures to five countries amid AI spending

The program, which began in June, offers buyouts to select employees, although the number who have accepted remains undisclosed. A Google spokesperson confirmed the expansion to Reuters, stating, “In 2025, some of our teams introduced a voluntary exit program with severance. This past summer, in June, we expanded this program globally in a few countries to support our important work ahead.”

The buyouts are occurring as concerns about Google’s AI spending have impacted the stock price of its parent company, Alphabet. While Alphabet’s workforce has grown recently, the company aims to reallocate resources to strategic areas.

This latest initiative follows similar programs introduced last year in the U.S. and Britain, providing employees who are not aligned with Google’s future direction an opportunity to leave with severance packages. In one instance, a Google division subsequently implemented involuntary layoffs after initially offering buyouts.

Google’s Chief Financial Officer, Anat Ashkenazi, recently emphasized the company’s commitment to hiring in AI and cloud computing, highlighting them as key areas for investment and growth. She stated on July 22, “We also expect to continue hiring in key investment areas such as AI and Cloud, and we are investing in marketing to support our AI products.”

In Switzerland, employees received notifications regarding their buyout decisions by mid-July, with severance packages including one month of pay per year of employment, capped at 12 months.

Similar cost-cutting measures are being implemented across the tech industry. Microsoft recently offered voluntary buyouts to approximately 60,000 employees to fund its own AI investments.