Google is offering voluntary buyouts to employees across several of its core U.S.-based teams, including Search, Ads, engineering, marketing, and research.
The offer provides eligible employees with at least 14 weeks of severance and is available through July 1, according to reporting from The Verge and The Information.
The buyouts are limited to employees in the U.S. who report into Google’s Core Systems division, and exclude staff at DeepMind, Google Cloud, YouTube, and central ad sales.
While Google has conducted layoffs in other departments earlier this year, the current program is being positioned differently.
It’s entirely voluntary and framed as an opportunity for employees to step away if their goals or performance no longer align with Google’s direction.
In a memo obtained by Business Insider, Jen Fitzpatrick, the Senior Vice President of Core Systems, explained the reasoning behind the move:
“The Voluntary Exit Program may be a fit for Core Googlers who aren’t feeling excited about and aligned with Core’s mission and goals, or those who are having difficulty meeting the demands of their role.”
Fitzpatrick added:
“This isn’t about reducing the number of people in Core. We will use this opportunity to create internal mobility and fresh growth opportunities.”
While the message downplays the idea of forced exits, this move bears a resemblance to earlier reorganizations.
In January, Google began with internal reshuffling in its Platforms and Devices division, which later led to confirmed layoffs affecting Pixel, Nest, Android, and Assistant teams. Whether the current buyouts will lead to further cuts remains to be seen.
Alongside the exit program, Google is updating its hybrid work policy.
All U.S.-based Core employees who live within 50 miles of an approved return site are being asked to transfer back to an office and follow the standard three-day in-office schedule.
Fitzpatrick noted that while remote flexibility is still supported, in-person presence is viewed as critical to collaboration and innovation.
Fitzpatrick wrote:
“When it comes to connection, collaboration, and moving quickly to innovate together, there’s just no substitute for coming together in person.”
These changes are positioned as part of a cultural shift toward spending more time in the office and aligning around shared goals.
This move comes as Google deploys its AI strategy across multiple business units. Over the past year, the company has:
This shows AI is driving changes both internally and externally.
Fitzpatrick’s memo opens by framing the current moment as a “transformational” shift for Google:
“AI is reshaping everything—our products, our tools, the way we work, how we innovate, and so on.”
While Google insists this isn’t about cutting jobs, the voluntary exit program and mandatory RTO policies make a couple of things clear. Google is fine-tuning who builds its products and how they do it.
Google wants its teams engaged, in-office, and ready to build the next generation of AI-driven tools.
For marketers and SEO professionals, this restructuring could foreshadow faster product rollouts, rapidly evolving search experiences, and continued automation in advertising tools.
Featured Image: Roman Samborskyi/Shutterstock
This is TVNewser’s basic cable network ranker and cable news report for the week of June 2, 2025.
The three cable news networks can feel good about their respective performances, especially during primetime. Fox News, MSNBC, and CNN all experienced week-to-week gains in total viewers and the Adults 25-54 demo.
MSNBC and CNN recorded double-digit gains in primetime in both measured categories and had across-the-board gains during total day. President Donald Trump‘s feud with Elon Musk clearly played well for these two networks as they captured additional viewers during a relatively slow news period.
Meanwhile, Fox News finished the week as the only network with a week-to-week decline in either of the dayparts. However, FNC still finished ahead of its cable rivals as well as the NBC and CBS broadcast networks in weekday primetime total viewers.
NETWORKS:
According to Nielsen Live Plus, same-day data, FNC averaged 2.378 million total viewers and 256,000 A25-54 viewers during primetime. The network saw a +4% rise in total viewers and a +7% rise in the demo compared to the week prior.
Fox News averaged 1.460 million total viewers and 177,000 A25-54 viewers in total day viewing. Week-to-week it was down -1% in the former category, but up +1% in the latter.
FNC moved back to first place in total primetime viewers and climbed from fourth to third in the primetime demo among all basic cable networks. In total day, it remained No. 1 in total viewers and climbed from No. 3 to No. 2 the demo demo.
MSNBC’s primetime lineup averaged 965,000 total viewers and 92,000 viewers in the A25-54 demo for respective gains of +34% and +42% in both measured categories.
During total day, MSNBC averaged 584,000 total viewers and 57,000 demo viewers for respective gains of +16% and +21% relative to the prior week.
Among all basic cable networks, MSNBC jumped from fifth to third in total primetime viewers and climbed from No. 24 to No. 16 in the demo. During total day, it landed in second place in total viewers and 12th place in the demo.
CNN averaged 619,000 total viewers and 108,000 A25-54 viewers during primetime for gains of +66% in the former category and +77% in the latter. The network’s live airing of George Clooney‘s Tony-nominated play Good Night, and Good Luck on June 7 provided a boost, bringing in 2.011 million total viewers and 223,000 demo viewers.
In total day, the network averaged 391,000 total viewers and 66,000 demo viewers for respective gains of +27% and +35% in those measured categories.
In relation to all the cable networks, CNN climbed from 14th to fifth place, and jumped from No. 27 to No. 9 in the demo. It moved sixth to fifth place during total day, and leaped from No. 16 to No. 8 in the demo.
When looking at these networks’ performance during the same period a year ago (the week of June 3):
PROGRAMMING:
Fox News held 14 out of the Top 15 spots of the most-watched cable news shows of the week in total viewers, with The Five (3.432 million viewers at 5 p.m. ET) leading the way. MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show (2.118 million viewers at 9 p.m. ET on Monday) finished at No. 7.
The Five (347,000 viewers) also landed in first place among A25-54 viewers, with FNC once again occupiying 14 out of the 15 top spots. The Rachel Maddow Show (212,000 viewers) came in at No. 9.
Prime Time
Fox News MSNBC CNN • Total Viewers: 2,378,000 965,000 619,000 • A25-54: 256,000 92,000 108,000
Total Day
Fox News MSNBC CNN • Total Viewers: 1,460,000 584,000 391,000 • A25-54: 177,000 57,000 66,000
Week 6-2-25 Cable Ranker by Adweek on Scribd
We gave Procreate Dreams a rare five-star review when it was released back in 2023, which quickly earned it a place in our pick of the best animation software. The 2D animation app is great value, and its intuitive interface makes it an appealing option for beginners.
Nevertheless, as a young iPad app, it inevitably has some limitations, and many users have a long list of asks for features that they would like to see added. The good news is that at least two of the most common requests are coming in Procreate Dreams 2.
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YouTube has announced that Posts will now appear in the Shorts feed. This change allows users to see and interact with Posts while watching short videos.
You can now see Posts while scrolling through Shorts on YouTube.
In the screenshot below, you can see that the layout keeps the same vertical aspect ratio. While scrolling, the video gets smaller, using half the screen for Posts.
Screenshot from: YouTube.com/CreatorInsider, June 2025.
You can like and comment on these Posts without stopping your video.
See more about it in YouTube’s video announcement:
YouTube has had posts as part of its creator toolkit for several years. These posts let channel owners share polls, quizzes, GIFs, text updates, images, and videos.
Posts are found in a special tab on the creator’s channel. They can also show up on subscribers’ homepages or in their subscription feeds.
This update gives creators a new way to reach their YouTube audience with posts.
Further, this gives creators a way to reach Shorts viewers without creating vertical videos.
If you only publish traditional long-form content on your channel, you can potentially get into the Shorts feed by publishing text or images.
With this update, YouTube is experimenting with combining other content types with its most popular features.
It’s possible that YouTube is making this change because it’s competing with Instagram and TikTok, which mix videos with different types of content. Combining content formats has the potential to boost user engagement and keep people on YouTube longer.
For creators, this provides an additional distribution channel with a bare minimum cost to entry. Writing a text post may now get you in the same feed as a fully produced Short.
YouTube hasn’t announced specifics for how Posts will be selected or how often they’ll appear. Creators will have to do their own testing to see how this impacts visibility.
Featured Image: Roman Samborskyi/Shutterstock
The IAB released its Digital Advertising Invoice API Specifications today. The specifications aim to fix long-standing payment problems in the digital advertising supply chain. They are open for public comment until Aug. 11, 2025.
“Despite the digital nature of our industry, the way we handle invoices is still largely manual and outdated,” Angelina Eng, VP of measurement, attribution & data center, IAB, said in a statement. “This effort reflects our commitment to modernizing digital advertising infrastructure, which will enable scalable, tech-forward solutions that work across platforms and stakeholders.”
The new specifications aim to establish a unified, system-agnostic framework for exchanging invoice data and documentation that eliminates fragmentation and manual interventions.
Dig deeper: IAB releases draft of updated digital ad terms for public comment
The specifications were developed with Mediaocean, using its Prisma platform’s API. The goal is a consistent, machine-readable format for invoice data transmission that can accelerate payment cycles and enhance data accuracy and reconciliation.
Adopting the specifications should bring key operational benefits:
Click here to review the proposed specifications and provide feedback. The comment period closes on August 11. Finalized specifications are expected to be released later this year.
Another space where having a meaningful connection with the community has become a way of life is a ‘chawl’ in Sewri, a neighbourhood with a rich past that involves being a military fort and then an industrial area. This particular chawl has slowly metamorphosed some of its space into creative studios. Not a curated ‘artist collective’, it just organically became a space where a bunch of different creatives found their studios, thanks to each other.
Says graphic designer and visual artist Poorva Shingre: “When we moved in, the builders were shocked that we didn’t want false ceilings or white tile flooring. But we wanted to retain the rawness. The space – the high ceilings, the pleasant breeze through the wide windows, the view outside, and the sense of calm – inspires creativity and allows me to focus. It’s great to see other creatives in the building doing their thing, and we exchange ideas whenever our paths cross. That kind of artistic connection is invaluable.”
More than the artistic exchanges with other creatives though, what binds Poorva to the place is the local community she is surrounded by. “I love looking out the window and seeing daily life unfold — kids playing, aunties cooking, a whole family watching TV in the evening. A lot of us get food from the locals in the neighbourhood. It’s a community without agendas. Just people living with simplicity, honesty, and kindness. This really grounds me.”
Poorva is well aware of how this structure, where she has temporarily found so much peace and inspiration, will be demolished sooner or later. And she also feels that the issue is not redevelopment, it’s about how it’s being done. She says, “The city is losing its character. Everything’s being torn down and replaced with generic and sterile towers. Redevelopment is fast and thoughtless, and it feels like no one’s imagining better alternatives – just “newer”. In the process, we’re erasing so much, like community activities, heritage architecture, intricate motifs that are so unique, and even a lot of functional aspects of old buildings.”
She adds, “It’s dismissed as purana (Hindi word for old). But the purana has a soul. It has so much history. And when this space goes, and it most likely will, I know I’ll miss it deeply.”
Google now supports structured data that allows businesses to show loyalty program benefits in search results.
Businesses can use two new types of structured data. One type defines the loyalty program itself, while the other illustrates the benefits members receive for specific products.
Here’s what you need to know.
When businesses use this new structured data for loyalty programs, their products can display member benefits directly in Google. This allows shoppers to view the perks before clicking on any listings.
Google recognizes four specific types of loyalty benefits that can be displayed:
This is a new way to make products more visible. It may also result in higher clicks from search results.
The announcement states:
“… member benefits, such as lower prices and earning loyalty points, are a major factor considered by shoppers when buying products online.”
The new feature needs two steps.
With valid markup in place, Google will be aware of your loyalty program and the perks associated with each product.
Important implementation note: Google recommends placing all loyalty program information on a single dedicated page rather than spreading it across multiple pages. This helps ensure proper crawling and indexing.
Businesses can define multiple membership tiers within a single loyalty program—think bronze, silver, and gold levels. Each tier can have different requirements for joining, such as:
This flexibility allows businesses to create sophisticated loyalty structures that match their existing programs.
Google Shopping software engineers Irina Tuduce and Pascal Fleury say this feature is:
“… especially important if you don’t have a Merchant Center account and want the ability to provide a loyalty program for your business.”
It’s worth reiterating: If your business already uses Google Merchant Center, keep using that for loyalty programs.
In fact, if you implement both structured data markup and Merchant Center loyalty programs, Google will prioritize the Merchant Center settings. This override ensures there’s no confusion about which data source takes precedence.
The update seems aimed at helping smaller businesses compete with larger retailers, which often have complex Merchant Center setups.
Now, smaller sites can share similar information using structured data, including sophisticated multi-tier programs that were previously difficult to implement without Merchant Center.
Small and medium e-commerce sites without Merchant Center accounts should strongly consider adopting this markup.
For more details, see Google’s new help page.
Game fans and indie devs can’t get enough of Unreal Engine 5 game remakes at the moment. We’ve seen everything from an Unreal Engine Super Mario World to Sonic Adventure and Rayman 3 (and, of course, there are official projects too, like MGS Snake Eater)
Epic Games’ engine has proved to be a game changer for these kinds of projects. Firstly, because it’s free if you’re not making big bucks, and secondly because of its capabilities for photorealistic 3D, allowing devs to reimagine classic games with cutting-edge visuals(see our pick of the best game development software).
“Scuttling the U-529” | Medal of Honor Reimagined with Unreal Engine 5 – YouTube
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Yesterday, I had hiking boots in my cart. Size selected, reviews read, I was even picturing myself on the trail. Then I hesitated. “Will these pinch my wide feet?” Three clicks later, I bounced.
These types of hesitations cost businesses millions.
We’ve gotten excellent at grabbing attention and driving traffic. But success comes down to attention coupled with intention.
The real challenge is optimizing for the micro-moments that determine conversions. Those moments where a finger hovers over “buy.” Eyes flick to the return policy. And then, that dreaded tab back to your competitor.
An essential skill for today’s marketers is conversion design, where we decode hesitation as a behavioral signal.
How do you guide attention toward action? How do you eliminate the friction that causes hesitation? AI can help us spot and solve for these in a way that we haven’t been able to previously.
78% of organizations now use AI in at least one business function according to McKinsey’s 2025 State of AI research, yet most aren’t applying it where it matters most: the critical seconds when attention converts to action.
Your visitors have done their research. They’re on your product page, comparing options, genuinely considering a purchase. Then doubt creeps in:
“Will this integration work with our current setup?”
“Is this jacket too warm for Seattle?”
“Can I trust this company with a project this important?”
These small but significant moments determine whether someone converts or walks away. Behavioral science calls this “ambiguity aversion,” our brain’s tendency to avoid uncertain outcomes.
AI is now giving us visibility into these hesitation patterns that were invisible before. Let’s look at how leading brands are responding.
A Fortune 100 retailer analyzed cart abandonment and discovered shoppers were lingering over size charts before dropping off.
Instead of simply displaying standard measurements, they built a system that detects hesitation patterns and immediately surfaces:
This resulted in 22% fewer returns and 37% higher conversion rates [Source: Anonymized client data].
Google’s recent case study on Lululemon shows how the activewear brand used AI to address hesitation at scale.
Instead of treating all visitors the same, Lululemon’s AI identifies where customers are in their decision journey and adjusts messaging accordingly.
Their approach included:
The results showed a substantial reduction in customer acquisition costs, increased new customer revenue from 6% to 15%, and an 8% boost in return on ad spend (ROAS). The strategy was so effective that it earned top honors at the Google Search Honours Awards in Canada.
In B2B, hesitation moments are different but no less critical. Enterprise buyers often get stuck on three key concerns:
Smart B2B companies use AI to detect these hesitation patterns:
Leading SaaS platforms can trigger personalized responses based on these signals, such as custom ROI calculators, implementation case studies from similar companies, or direct connection to technical specialists.
Microsoft’s data shows the power of AI in addressing customer hesitation in real-time. Their recent analysis reveals:
AI is well beyond automating existing processes to now anticipating uncertainty and responding in real time.
Here’s how to start optimizing for hesitation reduction:
Use tools like:
Address uncertainty directly:
Implement AI-powered responses:
Microsoft emphasizes the importance of continuous testing. 85% of marketers using generative AI report improved productivity across content and ad creation.
Start small:
Lululemon’s success came from implementing what they called a “measurement trifecta by blending marketing mix modeling (MMM), experiments, and attribution to gain a more holistic view of performance.”
This comprehensive approach revealed:
AI Overviews (AIO) are changing how content gets discovered. It’s important to anticipate doubts before they form, structure answers for AI extraction, and prove claims with third-party data.
Create content that addresses hesitation at different stages of the buying journey. Your product pages need to rank and convert uncertain visitors into confident customers.
Use AI to detect behavioral signals that indicate hesitation. Adjust landing pages, ad copy, and bidding strategies based on where users are in their decision process.
Track micro-conversions that indicate reduced hesitation, such as time spent with size charts, clicks on customer reviews, and interactions with chat.
Traffic is just the beginning.
For high impact, you need to earn trust in the seconds that matter most. AI gives us the power to see hesitation in real time and resolve it before it becomes regret.
Success often comes down to these micro-moments, these seconds when someone hovers between interest and action.
Master those micro-moments and everything else follows.
More Resources:
Featured Image: fizkes/Shutterstock
The Los Angeles metropolitan area became the focal point of President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement campaign over the weekend as protestors and law enforcement clashed.
Events on the ground led Trump to call in the National Guard, a move that inspired criticism—and now a lawsuit—from California’s governor, Gavin Newsom.
Broadcast and cable news networks quickly deployed reporters on the ground to cover the unrest and are making programming and reporting adjustments to keep pace with the rapidly developing situation.
[Note: This post will be updated as new events and coverage reports occur.]
ABC News
The network’s team in L.A. includes correspondents Matt Gutman, Trevor Ault, Alex Stone, and multiplatform reporter Melissa Adan.
CBS News
The streaming network CBS News 24/7 simulcasted its local affiliate station, CBS News Los Angeles, over the weekend. Maurice DuBois is reporting from Los Angeles for the CBS Evening News and other CBS News platforms, and the network says Jonathan Vigliotti, Elise Preston, Nidia Cavazos, and Camilo Montoya-Galvez are also reporting on the ground in Los Angeles.
CNN
Kyung Lah and Julia Vargas Jones reported from L.A. over the weekend and the network announced Erin Burnett will anchor her show, Erin Burnett OutFront, live on location beginning Monday at 7 p.m. ET. Additional reporters in the region include Josh Campbell, Jason Carroll, Marybell Gonzalez, as well as Michael Yoshida for CNN Newsource, and Gonzalo Alvarado for CNN en Español.
Fox News
Jonathan Hunt, Bill Melugin, William LaJeunesse, Steve Harrigan, Christina Coleman, and Fox Business Network’s Max Gorden are reporting on the situation for the network.
MSNBC
The network began its coverage on Saturday during the 3 p.m. ET edition of Alex Witt Reports. MSNBC continued its breaking news coverage into the evening and throughout the day on Sunday, including an interview with Newsom on Sunday with Jacob Soboroff. Coverage continued into Monday.
NBC News
Steve Patterson, Jacob Soboroff, and David Noriega provided reporting over the weekend. Additionally, NBC News Now simulcast coverage from the network’s flagship West Coast station KNBC from Sunday afternoon into the evening. NBC News added Liz Kreutz, Camila Bernal, Morgan Chesky, and Gadi Schwartz to its presence on Monday.
NewsNation
Nancy Loo, Mills Hayes, and Alex Caprariello are reporting live on the ground with coverage assistance from sister station, KTLA-TV. NewsNation’s border correspondent, Ali Bradley, is joining L.A. coverage as well.
PBS News
Reporting on the ground will be PBS News Hour special correspondent Marcia Biggs and producers Jackson Hudgins and Sam Lane.
Spectrum News and Spectrum Noticias
The network is utilizing L.A.-based affiliate Spectrum News 1 for ongoing coverage from the city. Over at Spectrum Noticias, reporters Annie Mapp and Tania Martin Carrillo have been providing updates and perspectives from protesters and officials.
Telemundo
The network’s chief anchor Julio Vaqueiro will anchor his Monday evening show out of Los Angeles.
