Google Offers Exit Packages in Five Countries as AI Costs Rise

In Switzerland, at least four people from a Google team of about 50 accepted an offer to leave with severance. Departures began in August, after employees received the offer in June. The package paid one month’s salary for each year of service, up to 12 months. Google has not said how many workers accepted offers across all five countries. ^1,8

The five countries are Canada, France, Germany, Japan and Switzerland. Google told Reuters that some teams began voluntary exit programmes in 2025. In June, the company extended offers to selected teams in more countries. The offers do not cover the whole company. Google Cloud and DeepMind, its AI research unit, were left out of earlier rounds and appear excluded again. Google has said it still plans to hire in AI and cloud, areas it sees as important to future growth. ^1,9

Those AI and cloud hiring plans help explain why the programme is selective. Alphabet, Google’s parent company, is spending heavily on AI while trying to control costs elsewhere. The offers give workers a choice to leave with severance; they are not a company-wide layoff. But the company has not shared overall take-up, and Reuters reported that at least one earlier voluntary exit programme in a Google division was followed by forced job cuts. That history leaves open what may happen to teams after workers accept. ^4,9

Earlier programmes in the United States and Britain came as other technology firms also reviewed staffing while funding AI projects. Microsoft offered voluntary buyouts to about 60,000 employees last week, according to the reports. Google has confirmed the expansion to five countries, but has not announced a total number of departures or a new response deadline. In Switzerland, accepted applicants began leaving in August. The broader impact will depend on how many eligible workers choose to go. ^1,8