Google employees urge CEO to protect laid-off workers amid AI boom

According to The Guardian, thousands of Google employees have signed a letter to CEO Sundar Pichai, asking for better protection for laid-off workers during the AI boom. The petition was started by software engineer Parul Koul and has over 4,500 signatures. It says that while Google's value has hit $4 trillion, workers are facing layoffs and pay cuts. They want clearer rules for severance, voluntary leave and buyout options before any forced layoffs, and the ability to turn severance into paid time off. The petition also calls for changes to performance reviews, moving away from strict quotas and numbers.