Layoffs impact numerous Google Assistant employees, software, devices, and services

Google has once again made headlines with its recent announcement of another round of layoffs. This time, the focus is on employees working on the voice-activated Google Assistant software and various other departments. The scale of these layoffs is significant, with hundreds of employees affected.

In addition to laying off hundreds of people who worked on its voice-controlled Google Assistant software, parent company Alphabet also eliminated a similar number of roles in the company’s Devices and Services team. Google’s layoffs at Google Assistant, first reported by news platform Semafor, are part of organizational changes that have been in place for the second half of 2023, including layoffs at the company’s mapping app Waze, Reuters reported.

A few hundred roles will be eliminated in the company’s Devices and Services team, most of which are in the 1P AR hardware team, the company said.

As part of the move, Google-owned Fitbit founders James Park and Eric Friedman, along with other Fitbit executives, will leave Google, a report from 9to5Google revealed.

“During the second half of 2023, several of our teams made changes to become more efficient and operational, and to focus resources on their top product priorities. Some teams will continue to make these types of organizational changes, which include some role eliminations worldwide,” the spokesperson told Reuters in a statement.

The spokesperson did not specify the number of influential roles. It’s not immediately clear how many people are on the Google Assistant software and Devices and Services teams.

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