YouTube is reshuffling its workforce for the first time in a decade, offering voluntary buyouts to U.S. employees as it reorganizes around artificial intelligence. CEO Neal Mohan announced the restructuring in an internal memo, signaling the platform's biggest strategic pivot since its acquisition by Google - and it's all about positioning for the AI arms race that's reshaping big tech.
YouTube just pulled off something it hasn't done since 2015 - a complete organizational overhaul. The Google-owned video platform is offering voluntary buyouts with severance packages to U.S.-based employees while restructuring its product teams around artificial intelligence, CEO Neal Mohan announced in an internal memo obtained by tech reporters.
The timing isn't coincidental. This restructuring comes as Google CEO Sundar Pichai pressures teams across the company to boost productivity using AI tools, part of a broader efficiency drive that's swept through big tech. "Looking to the future, the next frontier for YouTube is AI," a YouTube spokesperson told CNBC, confirming the strategic shift that insiders have been anticipating for months.
Under the new structure, YouTube is consolidating its sprawling product organization into three focused divisions, all reporting directly to Mohan. Christian Oestlien, previously vice president of product management, will now lead subscription products - a massive portfolio including YouTube Music, Premium, TV, Primetime Channels, Podcasts, and Commerce. Meanwhile, Chief Product Officer Johanna Voolich takes charge of viewer products, covering YouTube's main app, Living Room experiences, Search and Discovery, YouTube Kids, Learning, and Trust and Safety.
The reorganization represents YouTube's most significant structural change since Google acquired the platform in 2006. For a decade, YouTube operated with a more distributed product team structure that reflected its rapid growth from startup to global platform. Now, as AI transforms how users create and consume content, the company is betting that tighter coordination will help it move faster against competitors like TikTok and emerging AI-native platforms.
What makes this particularly interesting is YouTube's approach to workforce changes. Unlike the wave of mandatory layoffs that hit tech companies throughout 2023 and 2024, YouTube is offering voluntary departure packages. The company explicitly stated that "no roles are being eliminated as part of the change," suggesting this is more about right-sizing teams than cutting costs. It's a notable contrast to , which just announced plans to lay off about 14,000 corporate employees as it invests in AI initiatives.
