Google has begun offering voluntary exit packages to employees in its UK offices, widening a strategy first deployed in the United States as the company reorganizes itself for the artificial intelligence era. The move, revealed in a Business Insider report, is prompting fresh questions about whether the tech giant’s global restructuring is gathering momentum.

This week, select Google employees in the UK received an email inviting them to consider a “voluntary exit package.” A Google spokesperson confirmed the outreach but did not reveal which departments were included or how many workers would qualify for the offer. What remains clear, however, is that the company’s workforce reshuffle—framed as preparation for its next phase of AI-driven innovation—is gradually extending across regions.

“Earlier this year, some of our US teams introduced a voluntary exit programme with severance for US-based Googlers, and we are now also offering the programme in the UK to support our important work ahead,” the spokesperson said.

Across the tech sector, job cuts, team consolidations, and strategic buyouts have become common as companies reinvent themselves around AI. Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft have all carried out restructuring initiatives this year, with Microsoft even offering payouts to employees in teams undergoing shifts tied to its Copilot AI products.

At Google, these voluntary exits are being positioned as an alternative to traditional layoffs—more diplomatic, but no less strategic. Similar packages were offered earlier across segments of its Android and Core engineering organizations in the US. Insiders describe the buyouts as an option for employees who may not feel fully aligned with Google’s aggressive AI-focused direction.

Despite the restructuring, Google insists its commitment to the UK remains firm. “We are committed to investment in the UK and continue to hire for critical roles and important projects aligned with our company priorities to ensure we can deliver on the opportunity that AI offers the UK economy,” the company stated.

The size and terms of the exit packages have not been disclosed, though they reportedly scale with employee tenure—longer-serving Googlers receive larger payouts. With over 7,000 staff members in the UK, this is one of Google’s most significant global offices, making the rollout notable in scale.

This initiative follows a similar voluntary exit program within YouTube. In October, CEO Neal Mohan informed employees of the option to leave. “It’s an incredibly exciting time at YouTube and many opportunities and challenges lie ahead. But we also understand some of you may be ready for a new challenge, so we’ve decided now is the right time to offer a Voluntary Exit Program,” Mohan wrote in a memo.

Under CEO Sundar Pichai, Google has been emphasizing leaner management, quicker decision-making, and teams that can move rapidly as AI reshapes core business areas such as search, advertising, and cloud services. The voluntary exits reinforce this message: Google is preparing for an AI-first future—and wants teams that are fully committed to that mission.

Whether the UK program leads to widespread departures remains uncertain. But the direction is unmistakable: Google is streamlining today to build a sharper, more AI-focused workforce for tomorrow.