### Google Execs Face Employee Concerns Over Potential Cost Cuts

Alphabet executives, including CEO Sundar Pichai and CFO Anat Ashkenazi, recently addressed employee concerns during an all-hands meeting, following alarming comments about impending cost reductions during the company's earnings call. Notably, Pichai, Ashkenazi, and other leaders appeared in Halloween costumes, with Pichai sporting a humorous "ERROR 404 COSTUME NOT FOUND" shirt.

During the meeting, Brian Ong, Vice President of Google recruiting, revealed that the company is significantly reducing its hiring compared to previous years. Ong responded to inquiries about employee retention and promotional opportunities, explaining that fewer positions are currently available, and the geographic spread of hiring has shifted.

Ashkenazi, who succeeded Ruth Porat as CFO, emphasized the importance of cost-saving measures, especially as Google invests heavily in artificial intelligence infrastructure through 2025. She reassured employees that they are considered valuable assets, mentioning that 1,000 new graduates were hired in the third quarter. However, she did not elaborate on specifics concerning further headcount efficiencies.

CEO Sundar Pichai echoed the importance of efficiency, suggesting that teams should strive to achieve their objectives with fewer resources by making informed trade-offs and aligning efforts better. He hinted that while there might be localized small-group impacts, broad company-wide decisions would be communicated appropriately.

Google has been undergoing substantial restructuring to stay competitive in the AI sector. This has included layoffs and reconfigurations, leading to a dip in overall workforce morale. Recent cuts have impacted various teams, including marketing, cloud, security, and the trust and safety unit.

Despite these changes, Pichai urged employees to embrace AI tools to enhance productivity. According to Brian Saluzzo, head of "Core" developers, 25% of new code is currently generated by AI, with efforts underway to expand AI's role to more complex tasks. Google aims to use these AI-driven efficiencies to remain competitive and support global customers.