Google's AI Talent Revival: 20% of New Hires Are Returning Engineers

Google is experiencing a significant return of former employees, with 20% of its AI software engineer hires in 2025 being boomerang employees, according to CNBC. This marks an increase from previous years as the company intensifies its efforts to compete in the fierce AI talent war against rivals like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Meta.

A Google spokesperson confirms the statistic, adding that the company has seen a notable rise in the number of AI researchers joining from major competitors compared to 2024. "We're energized by our momentum, compute, and talent—engineers want to work here to keep building groundbreaking products," the spokesperson states.

Boomerang Employees and Industry Context

John Casey, Google's head of compensation, highlights the appeal of Google's deep pockets and robust computational infrastructure, which are crucial for advanced AI work. The company has a large pool of former employees to draw from, especially after the largest layoffs in its history in 2023, when Alphabet, Google's parent company, cut 12,000 jobs, reducing headcount by 6%.

Industry-wide, employee boomerangs are on the rise, as reported by ADP Research. Google, once lagging in generative AI, has made a strong comeback this year, driven by substantial investments in AI infrastructure and the success of its Gemini app. The company recently unveiled Gemini 3, further solidifying its position in the market.

Key Hires and Strategic Moves

Google has also been proactive in rehiring key figures in the AI field. Notably, Noam Shazeer, a prominent AI researcher, returned to DeepMind in August 2024, along with other members of the Character.AI research team. Shazeer and Daniel De Freitas left Google in 2021 to start Character.AI but rejoined under a licensing deal for the startup's technology.

Google co-founder Sergey Brin, who came out of retirement in 2023, has personally reached out to prospective candidates to bolster the company's recruitment efforts. Meanwhile, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has also been actively recruiting AI researchers for his company.

Future Outlook and Industry Impact

As Google continues to streamline its operations and remove bureaucratic hurdles, the company is poised to maintain its competitive edge in the AI landscape. With a renewed focus on innovation and a growing roster of returning talent, Google is well-positioned to lead the next wave of AI advancements.

References

• Google's boomerang year: 20% of AI software engineers hired in 2025 were ex-employees