X Lab, a research and development unit of Alphabet, Google’s parent company, has recently laid off some of its team members. The goal is to restructure the lab in a way that allows its projects to function as separate startups with the support of Alphabet and external investors, according to a report by Bloomberg.
This move is intended to attract funding from external investors for various projects and initiatives by the lab, which is known as “The Moonshot Factory.” The lab plans to partner with financial institutions and others while maintaining a lean, agile, and cost-efficient team. By focusing on inventing new technologies to solve global problems, X Lab aims to concentrate on its strength, which is innovation.
Founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, X Lab was established to address global issues such as Internet access and climate change. However, funding has always been a challenge for the lab.
Meanwhile, the Alphabet Workers Union, which represents workers, has announced plans to protest against Google’s decision-making process and communication with its employees due to the mass layoffs. On January 18, 2024, the Alphabet Workers Union organized protests at five Google offices across the United States, from California to New York.
A senior software engineer and communications chair of the union expressed concern about the chaos and anxiety caused by the layoffs. Google, on the other hand, defended its actions, stating that it was investing responsibly in priorities and opportunities.
