According to a Business Insider report citing sources familiar with the matter, Google Cloud has undergone another round of personnel changes in the past two weeks, affecting cybersecurity teams and some cloud business units. The report mentions that the company had cited the reinvestment of resources in growth areas such as AI as one of the reasons for the changes in some communications.
Impact on threat intelligence team
According to sources, one of the affected teams is Google Threat Intelligence Group, a key security research division at Google that regularly publishes research on hacking activities and cyberattacks.
In addition to this team, the layoffs also affected some employees at Mandiant, a cybersecurity company acquired by Google in 2022 and now integrated into Google Cloud. The report also stated that other teams within Google Cloud were affected.
The exact number is not yet clear.
It is unclear how many employees are affected, and Google has not publicly disclosed the details of the adjustments. Some employees have already posted on LinkedIn about being laid off.
A Google spokesperson stated that the company regularly evaluates its internal organizational structure to ensure it can better respond to customer needs and industry changes. This response did not directly specify the number of layoffs, nor did it disclose whether there would be any further adjustments.
Resources continue to be invested in AI
The report, citing a source familiar with the matter, stated that in at least one internal memo, Google cited reinvestment in growth areas, including AI, as the reason for the restructuring. This indicates that internal budgets and personnel are continuing to be reallocated amidst the continued increase in investment in artificial intelligence by large tech companies.
Business Insider previously reported that Google Cloud also conducted a round of quiet layoffs last year, primarily affecting user experience-related positions. This latest adjustment, extending to the security and cloud business lines, reflects the ongoing organizational restructuring.
