Web browser and search startup Brave has laid off 27 employees across various departments, according to information obtained by TechCrunch. The company confirmed the layoffs but did not provide details on the total number of employees fired or the reasons for the firings. The employees who were fired represent a significant portion of the company's workforce, with PitchBook estimating Brave has about 191 employees.
The new job cuts come about 10 months after the company laid off 9% of its workforce in October 2023. At the time, the company said the cuts were part of “cost management in a challenging economic environment.”
After adding a few crypto-related features, Brave is making a big push into AI in its product releases this year. The company launched its AI assistant, Leo, for desktop, Android, iPad, and iPhone in a phased release cycle.
In June, the company integrated its search results into the Leo chatbot, allowing users to ask for sports scores or get additional information about an article they were reading without leaving the page. The company also sells a Leo Premium subscription for $14.99 per month, which gives users access to better models and higher limit rates.
Earlier this month, after months of testing, the company made it possible for all users to link their own models for use in their browsers.
Brave did not say whether the costs of developing and operating its AI-focused features were one of the motivations for the latest round of job cuts.