Google is increasingly turning to its former employees to strengthen its artificial intelligence workforce as competition for top talent intensifies across the tech industry. With OpenAI, Meta, Microsoft and Anthropic aggressively hiring AI engineers, the company has seen a sharp rise in “boomerang” employees returning to its ranks.
According to CNBC, about 20% of Google’s software engineer hires for AI roles in 2025 were individuals who previously worked at the company—a higher share than in earlier years. This surge is supported by Google’s large pool of ex-employees created after massive layoffs in 2023, when Alphabet cut 12,000 jobs amid economic uncertainty driven by inflation and rising interest rates. Since then, smaller rounds of layoffs and buyouts have further expanded the pool of potential returnees.
Why Ex-Google Talent Is Returning as AI Competition Intensifies
Several factors are drawing ex-Google staff back, including the company’s financial resilience, access to unmatched computing resources, and renewed urgency around AI innovation. John Casey, Google’s head of compensation, reportedly told employees that these strengths appeal strongly to researchers pursuing cutting-edge AI development. The return of high-profile figures like Noam Shazeer and Daniel De Freitas, co-founders of Character.AI, underscores this trend. After leaving Google in 2021 to build their chatbot startup, they rejoined DeepMind in 2024 as part of a licensing arrangement—signalling Google’s willingness to bring back top-tier innovators as it attempts to regain momentum in generative AI.
Internally, Google has also restructured operations to accelerate decision-making and reduce bureaucracy. The company has been releasing products faster, trimming managerial layers, and offering buyouts to streamline workflows. Some reports even indicate that co-founder Sergey Brin has taken a hands-on role in recruiting talent directly. This push comes as Google works to close the competitive gap that widened after OpenAI’s successful release of ChatGPT in late 2022. Heavy investments in AI infrastructure and the growing adoption of the Gemini app have helped improve Google’s position, culminating in the recent launch of Gemini 3.
Poaching Surge: Google Faces Mounting Pressure in the AI Talent Race
Still, rivals continue to heavily target Google’s AI talent. Microsoft recently hired around two dozen DeepMind researchers, while both OpenAI and Meta have made aggressive offers, including reports of $100 million signing bonuses. Meanwhile, boomerang hiring is rising across the broader tech sector, with the information industry showing the fastest growth, according to ADP Research.
Summary:
Google is rehiring former employees as competition for AI talent intensifies, with 20% of its 2025 AI hires being returnees. Strong resources, faster decision-making, and renewed AI focus are drawing talent back. However, rivals like Microsoft, OpenAI and Meta continue aggressively poaching Google researchers with major offers.
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