Forward of Google’s annual I/O developer convention in Might, the tech big has laid off workers throughout key groups like Flutter, Dart, Python and others, in accordance with studies from affected workers shared on social media. Google confirmed the layoffs to TechCrunch, however not the precise groups, roles or how many individuals have been let go.

“As we’ve mentioned, we’re responsibly investing in our firm’s largest priorities and the numerous alternatives forward,” mentioned Google spokesperson Alex García-Kummert. “To greatest place us for these alternatives, all through the second half of 2023 and into 2024, various our groups made adjustments to grow to be extra environment friendly and work higher, take away layers, and align their assets to their largest product priorities. By means of this, we’re simplifying our buildings to provide workers extra alternative to work on our most revolutionary and essential advances and our largest firm priorities, whereas lowering forms and layers,” he added.

The corporate clarified that the layoffs weren’t company-wide however have been reorgs which are a part of the traditional course of enterprise. Affected workers will be capable of apply for different open roles at Google, we’re informed.

In one X submit, a PM from Flutter and Dart mentioned the layoffs had affected “a LOT of groups,” and that “a number of nice tasks misplaced individuals.”

“We’re unhappy, however nonetheless cranking onerous on I/O and past,” wrote Google PM Kevin Moore within the Flutter growth group on Reddit, the place he added that Flutter and Dart weren’t affected any roughly than different groups. “We all know ya’ll care SO MUCH concerning the mission and the staff and the superior ecosystem we’ve constructed collectively. You’re nervous. I get it. We get it. You’re betting on Flutter and Dart. So am I. So is Google,” he mentioned.

Google additionally informed TechCrunch that Flutter may have new updates to share at I/O this yr.

In a separate submit on Reddit, one other commenter famous the Python staff affected by the layoffs have been those that managed the inner Python runtimes and toolchains and labored with OSS Python. Included on this group have been “a number of present and former core devs and steering council members,” they mentioned.

In the meantime, others shared on Y Combinator’s Hacker Information, the place a Python staff member detailed their particular duties on the technical entrance and famous that, for years, a lot of the work was accomplished with fewer than 10 individuals. One other Hacker Information commenter mentioned their early years on the Python staff have been spent paying down inner technical debt gathered from not having a powerful Python technique.

“[D]espite the understaffing, we had managers who have been extraordinarily good about sustaining work/life stability and the ‘marathon, not dash’ method to work. As I mentioned in one other remark, it’s the very best job I’ve ever had, and I’ll miss it deeply,” they wrote.

“Python was one of many very first languages used extensively at Google. It was the final main backend language to get a language staff,” the consumer, gpshead, additionally mentioned.

Although Google didn’t element headcount, a few of the layoffs at Google might have been confirmed in a WARN discover filed on April 24. WARN, or the California Employee Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, requires employers with greater than 100 workers to offer 60-day discover prematurely of layoffs. Within the submitting, Google mentioned it was shedding a complete of fifty workers throughout three places in Sunnyvale.

On social media, commenters raised considerations with the Python layoffs particularly, given the function that Python tooling performs in AI. However others identified that Google didn’t remove its Python staff; it changed that staff with one other group based mostly in Munich — a minimum of in accordance with Python Steering Council member Thomas Wouters in a submit on Mastodon final Thursday.

“It’s a troublesome day when everybody you’re employed with instantly, together with your supervisor, is laid off — excuse me, ‘had their roles diminished,’ and also you’re requested to onboard their replacements, individuals informed to take these exact same roles simply in a unique nation who are usually not any happier about it,” he mentioned.

Google mentioned it might assist all affected workers, according to native necessities, by offering them with time to seek for completely different roles at Google or elsewhere, entry to outplacement providers and severance.