SAN FRANCISCO, Feb 11, 2026, 05:43 (PST)
- Google is offering voluntary exit packages to some U.S. staff in its Global Business Organization, according to an internal memo.
- Chief business officer Philipp Schindler told employees to embrace AI and the faster pace, while excluding large customer-facing sales teams.
- The move follows Alphabet’s recent report of record 2025 revenue as the company ramps spending on AI infrastructure.
Google is offering voluntary exit packages to some employees in its Global Business Organization, with its chief business officer telling staff they need to be “all in” as the company leans harder into artificial intelligence, according to a memo seen by Business Insider. Businessinsider
The offer is the latest sign that Google is using buyouts to reshape teams without broad, public layoffs, even as the AI race pushes big tech to move faster and spend more. A voluntary exit program, or VEP, is a buyout that pays employees to resign.
The memo said some roles in the U.S. business unit could opt to leave with severance. It carved out America’s large customer sales teams and other customer-facing roles, saying the company wanted to limit disruption for customers.
Schindler struck an urgent note in the email, writing that the company was starting 2026 in a “strong position,” but that “the stakes are high.” He told staff who were not “enjoying the pace we need to operate in” or were “ready to move on” that the exit program was available.
Google’s Global Business Organization includes teams tied to advertising products and global revenue growth, making it a sensitive place to cut too deeply. The company’s ad business still pays most of the bills, even as it pours money into AI.
Alphabet said on Feb. 4 that 2025 revenue rose to $402.8 billion, the first time annual revenue topped $400 billion, as Google Cloud grew and AI-related demand picked up. CEO Sundar Pichai said the company expected 2026 capital spending of $175 billion to $185 billion. Sec
Alphabet shares were down about 1.8% in premarket trading, as investors continued to weigh heavy AI spending against efforts to keep costs in check.
Google has rolled out similar buyouts in other parts of the company over the past year, including offers linked to its return-to-office push and a separate reorganization at YouTube, the Business Insider report said.
The latest round targets staff who may feel out of sync with Google’s shift to an “AI-first” approach, Times of India reported, describing it as another step in a broader reshaping of the workforce. Indiatimes
The move lands as other tech giants also rework teams and priorities around AI, India Today reported, pointing to restructuring efforts across peers including Amazon, Meta and Microsoft. Indiatoday
But buyouts can cut both ways. Google has not said how many employees are eligible, how many it expects to take the offer, or whether it could still pursue involuntary cuts if exits fall short of what management wants. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment, Business Insider reported.
For now, the memo’s message was straightforward: the business unit wants people who can keep up with the speed of change, and it is willing to pay some to leave rather than drag the shift out.
