What Happened to Justin Poehnelt?
Justin Poehnelt, a former Google engineer, was fired in April 2026 for developing and releasing an open-source Google Workspace CLI tool called `gws`. The tool gained significant popularity, but Google cited branding issues and internal concerns about AI agent disruption as reasons for his dismissal, ironically just days before Google Cloud Next announced an official Workspace CLI.
Quick Answer
Justin Poehnelt, a Google engineer who worked for nearly seven years on the Workspace Developer Relations team, was fired in April 2026. His dismissal stemmed from his development and public release of `gws`, a highly popular, open-source command-line interface for Google Workspace, which he designed with AI agents in mind. While the tool initially garnered positive attention, Google's legal department raised branding concerns, and Poehnelt attributes his firing to the Workspace team's apprehension about AI agent disruption, a sentiment underscored by Google's announcement of an official Workspace CLI just two days before his termination. He has since publicly shared his story, viewing it as part of his healing process and a case study in internal innovation conflicts within tech giants.
📊Key Facts
📅Complete Timeline13 events
Google Fires 'Thanksgiving Four' Employees
Google terminates four employees, known as the 'Thanksgiving Four,' for alleged data security policy violations, though employees claim retaliation for activism, highlighting a history of internal disputes at Google.
Reports of Dozens of Google Employees Fired for Data Misuse
Reports surface that Google fired dozens of employees between 2018 and 2020 for abusing access to internal tools and user data, emphasizing Google's strict policies on internal data handling.
Google Fires Engineer Blake Lemoine Over AI Sentience Claims
Google fires engineer Blake Lemoine after he claimed the company's LaMDA AI system was sentient, showcasing Google's stance on employee disclosures and AI ethics.
Justin Poehnelt Launches `gws` Google Workspace CLI
Justin Poehnelt launches `gws`, an open-source command-line interface for Google Workspace, designed for both humans and AI agents.
`gws` CLI Goes Viral
`gws` quickly gains significant traction, hitting number one on Hacker News and accumulating thousands of GitHub stars and users within days of its release.
Google Director Tweets About `gws`
Addy Osmani, then a Director at Google Cloud AI, tweets about `gws`, calling it 'built for humans and agents,' a tweet Poehnelt later refers to as 'the tweet that got me fired.'
`gws` Project Mirrored on SourceForge
The Google Workspace CLI project is mirrored on SourceForge, indicating its growing popularity and open-source nature.
Google Legal Department Inquires About `gws`
Google's legal department begins to inquire about the `gws` project, specifically questioning the use of Google branding elements on the GitHub repository.
Google Cloud Next Announces Official Workspace CLI
Two days before Poehnelt's dismissal, Google Cloud Next 2026 announces the upcoming official release of a Workspace CLI, with Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian emphasizing the 'era of the agent.'
Justin Poehnelt Fired by Google
Justin Poehnelt is terminated from his position at Google, approximately two months before his public disclosure.
InfoQ Publishes Article on `gws` CLI
InfoQ publishes an article detailing the `gws` CLI, its dynamic nature, and its support for AI agents, noting the community response to the tool.
Justin Poehnelt Publicly Discloses Firing
Justin Poehnelt publicly discloses his firing on the X platform, sharing his story and perspective on the events, which quickly gains widespread attention.
Media Reports on Poehnelt's Firing
Media outlets like OfficeChai report on Poehnelt's firing, further amplifying the story and sparking discussions about internal innovation and corporate policies.
🔍Deep Dive Analysis
Justin Poehnelt, a Google engineer with nearly seven years of experience, was terminated from his position in April 2026. The reason for his dismissal was his development and public release of an open-source command-line interface (CLI) for Google Workspace, named `gws`. The tool, designed for both human users and AI agents, quickly gained traction, topping Hacker News and accumulating thousands of GitHub stars and users shortly after its launch in early March 2026.
Poehnelt was part of the Workspace Developer Relations team, a role where building open-source layers over Google APIs was a regular activity. Despite the tool's initial positive reception from some Google leaders, the legal department later questioned the use of Google's logo and brand colors on the `gws` GitHub repository. Poehnelt believes the underlying cause of his firing was the Workspace team's broader fear of disruption by AI agents, rather than specific issues with his CLI. This perspective is amplified by the timing: Google Cloud Next 2026 announced an upcoming official Workspace CLI just two days before Poehnelt's dismissal, with Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian declaring "the era of the agent is here".
The launch of `gws` in early March 2026, its rapid viral spread, and the subsequent attention from both Google leadership and legal marked critical junctures. The announcement of an official Google Workspace CLI at Google Cloud Next 2026, immediately preceding Poehnelt's firing, highlighted the internal conflict and perceived irony of the situation. A tweet from Addy Osmani, then a Director at Google Cloud AI, sharing the tool on March 5, 2026, was even referred to by Poehnelt as "the tweet that got me fired". Osmani has since also left Google.
The most direct consequence for Poehnelt was his termination from Google. His public disclosure of the firing on X (formerly Twitter) in June 2026 brought significant media attention to the incident, sparking discussions about internal innovation, company policies on side projects, and the impact of AI disruption within large tech companies. The event also underscores a broader trend of talent movement towards open-source and independent AI agent projects, as large companies adopt defensive stances against disruptive tools.
As of June 24, 2026, Justin Poehnelt has publicly shared his story, viewing it as a personal healing process and an experience he wants to fully own. The `gws` CLI project remains open-source on GitHub, actively developed, and available for download, with mirrors on platforms like SourceForge. The incident continues to fuel debate within the tech community regarding corporate control over employee-developed tools, especially in rapidly evolving fields like AI.
What If...?
Explore alternate histories. What if Justin Poehnelt made different choices?