In 2025, Google tapped its own alumni network to fill critical artificial intelligence roles, with one in five new AI hires being former employees returning to the company. The move highlights the tech giant’s strategic use of “boomerang” talent amid an increasingly competitive global AI labour market.
Following workforce adjustments in previous years, Google has increasingly sought to bring back experienced professionals familiar with its systems and culture. These returning employees are contributing to the company’s generative AI initiatives, bringing both prior institutional knowledge and fresh insights gained from experience elsewhere.
The trend is part of a broader talent strategy, combining boomerang hires with new recruits from competitors and the wider technology ecosystem. Industry observers note that such hires often accelerate project timelines, as returning staff require less onboarding and can immediately engage with high‑priority AI development initiatives.
Experts say Google’s approach reflects a growing acceptance of fluid career paths in the tech industry, where former employees return to previous employers to leverage both familiarity and new skills. This strategy not only strengthens internal AI capabilities but also signals the company’s aggressive stance in the global fight for top technical talent.
Source – https://www.bwpeople.in/article/google-turns-to-former-employees-for-20-of-ai-hires-in-2025-585209