Alphabet, the parent company of Google, announced that it will cut 12,000 jobs in its largest ever round of layoffs. The company, which is currently the fourth most valuable publicly traded company in the world, has been impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the shift to remote work.

According to the company, the layoffs will mainly affect its Google unit, with most of the job cuts taking place in its sales and marketing division. The company stated that the layoffs are aimed at reducing costs, and that it will also close some of its offices.

This move by Alphabet comes as the company, like many others, is feeling the impact of the pandemic on its business. The shift to remote work has led to a decline in advertising revenue, as well as a slowdown in the company’s other businesses, such as cloud computing and hardware sales.

The company’s decision to cut jobs is not unique, as many other companies have also had to make similar decisions in order to stay afloat during the ongoing economic downturn. However, the scale of the layoffs at Alphabet is significant and is likely to have a major impact on the company’s workforce.

This news is likely to be met with mixed reactions from investors and the public alike. On one hand, the company’s decision to cut costs is a sign that it is taking the necessary steps to weather the economic downturn. On the other hand, the layoffs will have a major impact on the lives of the 12,000 workers who will lose their jobs.