Google is aggressively re-hiring former AI talent, with 20% of its AI software engineer hires in 2025 expected to be ‘boomerang workers.’ This strategy, fueled by substantial resources and infrastructure, aims to counter intense competition from rivals like OpenAI and Meta.

Google has intensified its battle for AI talent by bringing back former employees, with 20% of its AI software engineer hires in 2025 being so-called boomerang workers—a notable increase from previous years, CNBC has learned.The tech giant confirmed the statistic remains accurate as of December and reported a surge in AI researchers joining from major competitors compared to 2024.The company’s aggressive rehiring strategy comes as it competes withOpenAI, Meta, and Anthropic in the heated AI talent wars. Google’s head of compensation John Casey told employees that AI-focused engineers are attracted to the company’s substantial financial resources and computational infrastructure needed for advanced AI work, according to audio reviewed by CNBC.

Google taps large pool of ex-employees following 2023 layoffs

Google has a large pool of former employees to recruit from, particularly after its largest-ever layoff round in early 2023 when parent company Alphabet cut 12,000 jobs—a 6% workforce reduction. The company has since continued with rolling layoffs and buyouts as part of ongoing efficiency measures.The boomerang trend extends beyond Google, with ADP Research data showing increased employee returns across the industry, particularly in the information sector.Among notable returns, Google brought back AI pioneer Noam Shazeer in late 2024. Shazeer and Daniel De Freitas had left Google in 2021 to start Character.AI after the company reportedly rebuffed their chatbot development efforts, but rejoined DeepMind in August 2024 under a licensing deal.

Competitors also aggressively pursuing AI engineering talent

The competition for AI talent remains fierce across the industry. Microsoft hired around two dozen employees from Google’s DeepMind earlier this year, while OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed in June that Meta had been offering $100 million signing bonuses. Google co-founder Sergey Brin, who came out of retirement in 2023, has personally reached out to prospective candidates, according to people familiar with the matter.Despite the competitive landscape, Google has made progress in its AI efforts. The company announced its latest Gemini 3 model last month, and Alphabet’s stock price has risen more than 60% this year, outperforming all megacap peers.