Chief Business Officer's message
Google has started offering voluntary exit packages to certain employees as part of its AI push. The offer applies to select teams within the company’s Global Business Organization (GBO) in the US. Philipp Schindler, Google’s Chief Business Officer, informed staff about the decision in an internal memo. In the message, he said the company is entering the new year from a position of strength. He thanked employees for their work in 2025, and said the business environment is changing quickly with rising competition. He further said Google needs teams that are fully committed to its goals, and the company is working to use AI more deeply across its products and internal systems. According to him, employees must be ready to work at the speed required in this new phase. The voluntary exit program is meant for employees who may feel they are not aligned with the company’s direction or pace. Those who choose to leave will receive severance benefits.
Roles to be affected
The voluntary exit packages are expected to affect some US-based roles in solutions, sales, and corporate development teams under the GBO. However, not every team in the division is part of the program. The company has said some roles are excluded to avoid disruption to customers and daily operations. Google has not shared the exact number of employees who may be impacted. This is not the first time Google has made such changes. In 2025, the company cut around 100 roles in design-related teams. These included positions in quantitative user experience research and platform and service experience. Earlier that year, CEO Sundar Pichai also offered voluntary exit packages in several US units and reduced some manager roles.
AI takes central ground
AI is now central to Google’s long-term plans. The company is investing heavily in AI tools and systems. It is also reorganizing teams to support this shift. Many technology companies are making similar changes as they compete in the AI space. Google has not made a detailed public announcement yet. More updates may follow if it releases an official statement.
