Google Offers Buyouts to Employees in Search and Ads, Other Units

Google is offering voluntary buyouts to employees across several businesses and units, including the knowledge and information organization, which houses the company’s core search and much of the ads organization, a senior executive told staff on Tuesday.

The move comes as Google’s search business faces unprecedented threats from ChatGPT and following its loss in a U.S. antitrust case that could hurt the company’s ability to distribute its search product. Nick Fox, who runs the knowledge group, said in an email to his team that the buyouts were aimed at U.S. employees.