Google parent company Alphabet announced it will cut 12,000 jobs

It is unclear yet if Google's operations in Ireland, where it employs over 4,000 people, will be affected by the cuts. It is understood the company's US workforce will be impacted by the layoffs first.

The layoffs are global and impact US staff immediately, Google said. (Photo credit: DAMIEN MEYER/AFP via Getty Images)

Google parent Alphabet said it will cut about 12,000 jobs, more than 6% of its global workforce, becoming the latest tech giant to retrench after years of abundant growth and hiring.

The cuts will affect jobs globally and across the entire company, CEO Sundar Pichai told employees in an email on Friday, writing that he takes “full responsibility for the decisions that led us here.”