Google Rehires Ex-Engineers in AI Talent Battle
As the competition for artificial intelligence talent intensifies, Google is resorting to a well-known tactic: re-hiring its own former employees. As competitors such as OpenAI, Meta, and Anthropic fiercely vie for the best engineers and researchers, the tech giant is notably bringing back former employees, according to a report. Around 20 percent of the software engineers Google hired for artificial intelligence roles in 2025 were “boomerang” employees—individuals returning to the company after having left previously. John Casey recently addressed the rehiring trend with employees during an internal meeting. Casey stated that AI-focused engineers are drawn to Google’s financial strength and its extensive computing resources, which are crucial for advanced AI research and development.
Google possesses a substantial pool of former employees available for rehire, particularly following its largest layoffs to date in early 2023. During that period, parent company Alphabet eliminated 12,000 positions, resulting in a workforce reduction of approximately 6 percent. The job cuts occurred in the context of a wider market slowdown, influenced by elevated inflation and increasing interest rates. Since then, Google has proceeded with smaller rounds of layoffs and employee buyouts. Late last year, Google achieved a significant rehiring milestone with the return of Noam Shazeer, a prominent AI researcher. Shazeer and Daniel De Freitas departed from Google in 2021 to establish Character.AI, as reported, after the company chose not to accelerate its internal chatbot initiatives. In August 2024, the two, along with other researchers from Character.AI has rejoined DeepMind through a licensing agreement for the startup’s technology.
In the past year, Google has altered its operational methods. The company has accelerated its product release schedule, even if the offerings are not entirely refined. According to a report, the company has made efforts to reduce bureaucracy by providing buyouts and eliminating over one-third of the managers supervising small teams. In 2023, Google co-founder Sergey Brin resumed an active role and has, at times, reached out personally to potential hires, as reported. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has reportedly made direct contact with AI researchers as the competition for talent intensifies. The trend extends beyond Google. According to data released earlier this year by ADP Research, there has been an increase in the number of employees across the tech industry returning to their previous employers. The sector identified as “information” by ADP experienced the most significant increase in boomerang hiring.
Google is implementing talent rehiring as a strategic component of its efforts to reclaim its position in generative AI. The company lagged after the release of ChatGPT by OpenAI in late 2022 and faced challenges with multiple early product launches. However, Google has regained momentum this year. Significant investment in AI infrastructure and robust adoption of its Gemini app have contributed to its resurgence. Last month, the company unveiled its latest model, Gemini 3. Google continues to be a major source of AI talent for its competitors. Earlier this year, Microsoft brought on board approximately two dozen employees from Google’s DeepMind research lab, as reported. OpenAI and Meta have also demonstrated a strong approach. In June, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman informed employees that Meta was providing $100 million signing bonuses and emphasized his efforts to retain staff.
