This chart shows how much Google's head count surged in the AI boom

This chart shows how much Google's head count surged in the AI boom Sundar Pichai, chief executive of Alphabet Inc., during an interview on "The Circuit with Emily Chang" on May 1, 2024. David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images While AI may be driving some companies to slash their head count, Google's is soaring.When Google reported its Q3 earnings on Wednesday, it said it had 204,757 employees for the quarter ending September 2026. That means Google added roughly 10,000 people to the payroll since the end of March.The uptick in head count runs counter to another trend across the tech industry, where some of Google's peers are slashing their workforces. Meta has been on a cost-cutting odyssey for several years, while Microsoft recently offered voluntary buyouts to 60,000 employees.Some of Google's head count growth can be attributed to mergers and acquisitions. On March 11, Google said it had completed its acquisition of cybersecurity firm Wiz, which had roughly 2,000 employees.In January 2023, Google announced it would slash roughly 12,000 roles — around 6% of the workforce at the time — and has since made several smaller rounds of layoffs, Business Insider has reported.While the head count has grown somewhat steadily since Q2 2024, it has accelerated since the end of 2025. Google also reported Wednesday that its quarterly revenue grew 25% from this period last year.Have something to share? Contact this reporter via email at hlangley@businessinsider.com or Signal at hughlangley.01. Use a personal email address and a non-work device; here's our guide to sharing information securely. Read next Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Hugh is a senior correspondent at Business Insider where he writes about Google, tech, and wealth. His work has been cited by The New York Times, Bloomberg, Reuters, The Wall Street Journal, and other outlets.Get an alert whenever I publish a story.Got a tip? You can reach him using the secure messaging app Signal (hughlangley.01) or email (hlangley@businessinsider.com). We can keep sources anonymous. Andy is a senior economic data editor at Business Insider. He helps lead the economy team, focusing on our coverage of economic and other data, economic trends, the labor market, affordability, and the Fed.He studied mathematics at the University of Chicago and Purdue University. Google Alphabet AI More Employment Layoffs Big Tech Careers