两年前猛裁1.2万人后，谷歌吃起了“回头草”：新招的AI工程师中，20%是「老面孔」

Core Viewpoint - Google is strategically reclaiming its position in the AI sector by re-hiring former employees, with approximately 20% of new AI software engineers in 2025 being ex-employees, a significant increase compared to previous years [1][4]. Group 1: Employee Rehiring Strategy - The trend of re-hiring former employees at Google is not coincidental, as the company faced significant layoffs in early 2023, with about 12,000 employees cut, representing 6% of its total workforce [4]. - Google has maintained connections with former employees, creating a potential talent pool that can be reactivated, especially as competition in generative AI intensifies [4]. - The return of former employees is driven by the availability of substantial computing resources and competitive compensation, which are critical for AI development [5][6]. Group 2: Cultural and Structural Changes - Google has undergone notable changes in its internal culture and organizational structure, including taking more risks, accelerating product release schedules, and reducing management layers by over one-third [8]. - The company has also adopted unconventional recruitment practices, such as re-hiring former employees and involving co-founder Sergey Brin in recruiting key AI talent [8]. Group 3: Competitive Landscape and Market Response - Initially, Google struggled in the generative AI space, lagging behind competitors like OpenAI and Meta, which rapidly gained market share [11][12]. - However, starting in 2024, Google shifted its strategy by increasing investments in AI infrastructure and stabilizing its product line with the Gemini series models, including the recent release of Gemini 3 [12]. - The market has responded positively, with Alphabet's stock price increasing by over 60% in 2025, outperforming other tech giants [13].