Alphabet’s Google is offering voluntary exit packages to select employees as part of a broader strategy to realign its workforce around its growing artificial intelligence focus. According to an internal memo from Philipp Schindler, Google’s Chief Business Officer, the company is providing severance-backed exit options to staff within its Global Business Organization (GBO) who may not be fully committed to the firm’s AI-driven direction or who are ready to move on to other opportunities.
The voluntary exit programme mainly affects teams in areas such as solutions, sales and corporate development — roles that the company sees as needing strong alignment with its AI-centric future. Employees in large customer-facing sales positions are not eligible for the offer, as Google aims to keep those teams stable while it transitions other parts of the business.
This move comes even as Alphabet reported record revenues in 2025, underscoring that the decision is part of a strategic shift rather than purely cost cutting. Google leadership has emphasised that the evolving AI landscape demands flexibility and a workforce willing to adapt to rapidly changing priorities, with AI seen as central to future growth and competitiveness.
These voluntary exits follow a broader pattern at Google and across the tech industry, where companies are offering buyouts or restructuring teams to pivot more aggressively toward AI technologies. Such programmes can make transitions less disruptive than outright layoffs, but they also reflect realignment in job roles and expectations as AI reshapes how businesses operate.
