Alphabet Inc.'s Google on Wednesday laid off employees in its cloud division, according to people familiar with the matter. The layoffs, which affect fewer than 100 employees in sales, are intended to free up resources to invest in the business and artificial intelligence, one of the people said. In a statement, a Google spokesperson said the company continues to adapt to meet customer needs and the significant opportunities ahead. "As teams across the company have been doing, we are making changes to continue investing in areas that are critical to our business and ensure our long-term success," the spokesperson said.