By buld_online 
Google has significantly scaled back its investment in its smart TV initiatives, reducing the Google TV and Android TV budget by 10% and laying off around a quarter of the team working on the platform, according to a report by The Information. The move affects up to 75 employees out of an estimated 300-strong team, as the tech giant restructures operations to focus more heavily on artificial intelligence and the evolving role of YouTube as a premium streaming service.
Despite the cuts, Google says it remains committed to its TV ecosystem, which powers over 270 million active devices globally, including smart TVs from brands like TCL and Hisense, as well as its own Chromecast products. The company is preparing to integrate its Gemini AI assistant into the Google TV platform later this year, aiming to make televisions smarter, more voice-friendly, and better integrated into smart home environments.
“We continue to invest in Google TV with new user experiences including the upcoming integration of Gemini,” a Google spokesperson told The Information. “There are more than 270 million Android TV devices, and we remain committed to growing this ecosystem with an exciting roadmap ahead.”
The restructuring comes amid broader shifts within Google’s Platforms and Devices division, which has seen multiple rounds of layoffs in recent months as the company prioritises profitable ventures and AI development. While trimming roles in the US, Google plans to rebuild the Google TV team internationally, with increased hiring expected in regions such as India to maintain similar overall headcount but with a more globally distributed workforce.
At the same time, Google appears to be deepening its focus on YouTube, which brought in over $50 billion in advertising and subscription revenue for the 12-month period ending last September. Reports indicate the company is redesigning YouTube to resemble streaming platforms like Netflix and Disney+, with a stronger emphasis on paid content and premium experiences. The shift has also prompted leadership changes, including the hiring of former Disney executive Justin Connolly to oversee partnerships and a search for a new chief business officer to replace Mary Ellen Coe. YouTube VP Christian Oestlien is reportedly a leading internal candidate for the role.
These strategic moves underline Google’s belief in television as a vital medium within the connected home, even as it rebalances resources. However, the budget reductions may slow the pace of innovation and feature rollouts in the near term, raising questions about how quickly the company can deliver on its AI-powered vision for the living room.