Google's Senior Vice President, Rick Osterloh, has announced a "voluntary exit program" for US-based employees in the company's Platforms & Devices team, which includes the Pixel, Android, and Chrome teams. The program, confirmed by a Google spokesperson, offers a severance package to employees who choose to voluntarily leave the company.

The move comes almost a year after Google merged the Android, Pixel hardware, and Chrome teams into a single "Platform and Devices" division, overseen by Osterloh. The reorganization was aimed at integrating the company's AI offerings more deeply into its products, and has since led to significant growth in Google's generative AI platform, Gemini.

Gemini has become a central component of Google's hardware and software offerings, featuring prominently in Samsung's flagship Galaxy S25 smartphone and replacing the Home assistant on Pixel products. The AI platform has also been integrated into Google's Nest line of smart home hardware, further solidifying its importance to the company's product lineup.

The voluntary exit program applies to a wide range of Google offerings, including Android, Chrome/ChromeOS, Fitbit, Google One, Nest, Photos, and Pixel. Notably, other large Google divisions, such as AI and search, are not directly impacted by the program.

The announcement follows closely on the heels of Amazon's confirmation that it laid off dozens of employees across its communications and corporate responsibility divisions on Wednesday. While the reasons behind Google's voluntary exit program are not explicitly stated, it is likely that the company is seeking to streamline its operations and focus on its core mission.

In a statement to TechCrunch, a Google spokesperson emphasized the importance of commitment to the company's mission, saying, "We want everyone to be deeply committed to our mission and focused on building great products, with speed and efficiency." The voluntary exit program may be seen as a means of achieving this goal, by allowing employees who are not fully invested in the company's vision to depart with a severance package.

The implications of this move are significant, as it suggests that Google is willing to take bold steps to ensure its continued success in the competitive tech industry. As the company continues to evolve and adapt to changing market conditions, it remains to be seen how this voluntary exit program will impact its product offerings and overall strategy.

One thing is clear, however: Google's commitment to its mission and focus on building great products is unwavering. As the company looks to the future, it is likely that we will see continued innovation and growth in its AI offerings, as well as a renewed emphasis on speed and efficiency in its product development cycles.