Google expands voluntary exit program to five countries amid AI investment push
Google is offering severance packages to employees in Canada, France, Germany, Japan and Switzerland as it seeks to control costs while increasing spending on artificial intelligence.
Google has broadened its voluntary exit program to include employees in Canada, France, Germany, Japan and Switzerland, according to a Reuters report. The company said the new round, announced in June, follows earlier offers made to certain teams earlier in 2025.
The program does not cover all parts of the business; the DeepMind AI research unit and Google Cloud are excluded, reflecting the company's focus on hiring in those areas to strengthen its AI and cloud services.
In Switzerland, where Google employs about 5,000 staff at its Zurich engineering centre, the offer provides one month’s salary for each year of service, up to a maximum of 12 months. People familiar with the matter said at least four employees from a team of roughly 50 have accepted the package and begun leaving in August.
Alphabet, Google's parent, has been increasing its AI spending, prompting the firm to balance expense management with continued investment in key growth areas.
The move comes as other tech firms, including Microsoft, also roll out voluntary buyout schemes to address rising AI-related costs while pursuing large-scale infrastructure investments.