Business · 2026-11-04

Google expands voluntary buyouts for employees in several countries

Google is offering some employees in five countries a voluntary exit with payment to cut costs tied to its AI infrastructure spending.

✨ What happened

Alphabet, Google's parent company, this year expanded its voluntary buyout program with severance payments to new countries. The company is trying to slow rising costs amid large investments in artificial intelligence.

Google confirmed to Reuters that since June 2026 it has been offering voluntary buyout packages to some employees in Canada, France, Germany, Japan, and Switzerland. Similar terms were previously offered to certain units in the US and the UK.

📌 Who can get an offer and on what terms

It is not yet known how many employees accepted the new terms. Management describes the program as an option for those who no longer feel in sync with the pace or direction of the company.

Employees are offered one month's salary for each year worked, up to a maximum of 12 months' salary.

The program does not cover key areas. Employees of Google Cloud and the DeepMind AI lab are not eligible for buyout offers.

🔹 Why the company is doing this

Analysts link the cuts to record spending on AI infrastructure, which worries investors on Wall Street. Alphabet CFO Anat Ashkenazi has repeatedly said that AI and cloud computing are the main priorities for hiring. In effect, the company is reallocating resources: cutting staff in traditional areas to make room for AI talent.

Other large companies are taking similar steps. For example, Microsoft recently offered voluntary buyout options to 60,000 of its employees.

🔸 An important caveat

According to insiders, in some units Google carried out a wave of forced layoffs after the voluntary buyout application period ended. So the program's "voluntary" nature may have looked different across teams.

Sources: 🔗 DOU/dev.ua