After Microsoft, Google expands voluntary exit programme to employees in 5 countries amid AI spending

Google has extended its voluntary employee exit programme to several countries as the tech giant looks to manage costs while increasing investments in artificial intelligence.

According to Reuters, the company expanded the buyout offers in June to employees in Canada, France, Germany, Japan and Switzerland. However, the news agency could not establish how many workers have accepted the offers.

"In 2025, some of our teams introduced a voluntary exit program with severance," a Google spokesperson said in a statement quoted by Reuters.

"This past summer, in June, we expanded this program globally in a few countries to support our important work ahead," the spokesperson added.

The move comes as Alphabet, Google's parent company, looks to shift resources towards key business areas despite growing its workforce in recent quarters.

Also Read: Trump's 'best guy' Pete Hegseth on the chopping block? Why Republicans are now turning against him after midterms disaster

Google buyouts exclude key AI divisions

The latest offers follow similar voluntary exit programmes introduced in some Google divisions in the US and Britain since 2025. Executives had presented them as an option for employees who no longer felt aligned with the company's pace or direction.

In one instance, Google also offered voluntary exit packages to employees in a division facing layoffs.

However, workers in Google Cloud and AI research unit DeepMind have been excluded from previous buyout programmes. Chief Financial Officer Anat Ashkenazi has identified AI and cloud computing as key hiring priorities during quarterly earnings presentations.

Google's move comes amid wider workforce restructuring in the technology sector as companies increase spending on AI.

Last month, Microsoft opened a voluntary exit programme for around 60,000 employees, covering roughly a quarter of its workforce. India was among only four countries included in the scheme.

The eligible group represents more than a quarter of Microsoft's 223,000 full-time employees reported as of June 30. The company is simultaneously increasing AI investments and restructuring its workforce.