Google might already be replacing some human workers with AI

Our biggest fear might be one step closer

Although Google has been busy producing generative AI tools to sell as part of its ever-evolving cloud business model, a new report by The Information suggests the company may soon start using AI itself, threatening some workers' jobs.

After months of studies and reports claiming that AI will ‘help’ humans and not ‘replace’ them, the biggest fear affecting many workers could have more body than previously thought.

According to the most recent report, the company told workers that it would be reorganizing its 30,000-person ad sales unit, leaving many fearing about more redundancies to come.

Is Google replacing workers with AI?

Already this year, the company has laid off more than 12,000 workers as a result of rising costs caused by global economic uncertainties. In the following months, Google’s AI business started to take off, and it has now situated itself as one of the leaders in artificial intelligence along with OpenAI and Microsoft.

The company is now reportedly looking at using AI, ML, and automation to drive its ads business. It has already been injecting GenAI into the ad experience for advertisers and customers, but this new report indicates that the time-saving technology may soon be used on the back end, too.

Lots of advertisers have already started using the Performance Max ad tool, which was updated earlier this year, meaning that fewer workers could now be needed to specialize in certain ad topics.

The report reveals that last year, 13,500 of the company’s 30,000-strong ad sales unit were working on projects that have been simplified or replaced by Performance Max.

It’s unclear how many workers would be affected if any at all, but with such boosts to efficiency, it’s clear that unless Google receives a surge in customers, it may not need so many workers.

TechRadar Pro has asked Google to comment on the matter and confirm whether its AI has had an effect on job security. Any update will be posted here.

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