Platform

YouTube Offers Voluntary Exit Program For U.S. Staff Amid Organizational Restructure

Published on November 3, 2025

YouTube has initiated a voluntary exit program with severance for U.S. employees while reorganizing its product teams to prioritize artificial intelligence development. The Google-owned platform reports no layoffs as part of the restructuring that creates three distinct product divisions reporting directly to CEO Neal Mohan.

According to TechCrunch, the video platform announced its first major product team reorganization in a decade, creating three separate organizations:

Subscription Products: Led by Christian Oestlien, previously VP of Product Management, this division oversees YouTube Music and Premium, YouTube TV, Primetime Channels, Podcasts, and Commerce.
Viewer Products: Headed by Chief Product Officer Johanna Voolich, this team manages the main YouTube app, Living Room, Search and Discovery, YouTube Kids, Learning, and Trust and Safety initiatives.
Creator & Community Products: This organization focuses on supporting creators and building community features, though YouTube did not specify leadership for this division in the announcement.

All three teams now report directly to Mohan, who informed employees about the changes via an internal memo on October 29.

“Looking to the future, the next frontier for YouTube is AI,” a YouTube spokesperson told CNBC. The restructuring aligns with Google CEO Sundar Pichai’s broader push for employees to enhance productivity through the implementation of artificial intelligence across the company.

The voluntary exit program comes despite YouTube’s strong financial performance. In Alphabet’s third-quarter earnings report, YouTube’s advertising revenue reached $10.26 billion, up 15% year-over-year.

Industry Context

YouTube’s approach differs from other tech companies facing economic pressures. While offering voluntary exits rather than mandatory layoffs, the restructuring reflects the industry-wide shift toward AI integration.

For context, Amazon recently announced plans to lay off approximately 14,000 corporate employees while investing in AI initiatives.

YouTube confirmed that no roles are being eliminated as part of these organizational changes, suggesting the voluntary exit program serves as a strategic workforce adjustment rather than a cost-cutting measure.