Google parent Alphabet Inc on Friday announced 12,000 job lay off, more than 6 percent of its global workforce, becoming the latest tech giant to retrench after years of abundant growth and hiring.  The lay off will affect jobs globally and across the entire company, its Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai said in a staff memo on Friday.

These are crucial times to narrow our focus, redesign our cost structure, and focus all of our resources on our top goals "In an email, Pichai said.

He said that the business had a "significant potential in front of us." "with artificial intelligence, a significant area of investment where Google has seen a recent rise in competition.

Thanks to the strength of our mission, the value of our products and services, and our early investments in AI, I am optimistic about the enormous opportunity that lies ahead of us "the CEO of Alphabet said.

In the US, affected employees will receive 16 weeks of severance pay and six months' worth of health benefits, according to Pichai, while other regions would receive packages according on regional laws and customs.
Pichai said that he accepts "full responsibility for the choices that brought us to this point." 

The layoffs mark the latest to shake the technology sector and come days after rival Microsoft Corp said it would lay off 10,000 workers.

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