Alphabet Inc.’s Google has cut jobs at mapping service Waze, the tech giant’s latest move to trim its operations amid a drive for efficiency in Silicon Valley.
Some positions focused on advertising at Waze were eliminated after the unit began transitioning to using Google’s advertising technology, a Google spokesperson said Tuesday.
“As part of this update, we’ve reduced those roles focused on Waze Ads monetization and are providing employees with mobility resources and severance options in accordance with local requirements,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
Google said in December that it would fold Waze into its Geo organization, which includes popular products such as Google Maps and Google Earth. Google declined to provide a number for the jobs lost at Waze.
Google has been moving to reduce costs amid slowing demand last year for digital advertising, which fuels the company’s revenue. In January, Alphabet said it would cut about 12,000 jobs, more than 6% of its global workforce. The company in April reported first-quarter sales that were higher than estimates on stronger-than-expected advertising sales for search and the YouTube video site.
