Alphabet ended September with 204,757 employees, about 10,000 more than at the end of March and up from 198,933 in June, according to its third-quarter results. Alphabet has run several smaller layoff rounds since cutting about 12,000 jobs in January 2023, but its hiring has picked up speed since late 2025. The growth runs against its peers, as Meta keeps cutting costs and Microsoft is offering voluntary buyouts to 60,000 of its employees.
