Google is implementing sweeping layoffs across divisions, affecting hundreds of employees.
The layoffs include staff working on prominent products such as Google Assistant.
The big picture: The shift in focus towards artificial intelligence is one of the reasons for the Google Assistant layoffs, as the company plans to integrate its latest AI models more extensively into its products.
- The hardware division responsible for producing Google’s Nest, Pixel, and Fitbit devices is also affected by the layoffs, with a significant impact on the augmented reality team, Google told CNN.
Driving the news: Google’s latest round of layoffs comes shortly after Amazon announced layoffs in its film and television divisions, as well as live-streaming platform Twitch.
