This is intentional. It's intended to capture attention from people who will feel a need to argue that the headline misrepresents the content of the memo (which is does).

Then CNN converts that emotionalism and clicks and comments into ad dollars.

It's exactly why the media LOVES any controversial "wedge" issues. They polarize people, and polarized people argue incessantly. And people who are arguing == views and ad dollars.

Or is it intentional by the leaders of CNN to try to side with Google on that case?

That is truly depressing. CNN used to be one of the last places to get non-ideological journalism. Looks like non-partisan journalism really is dead, as is the principle of charity.

Perhaps this might interest you.

https://www.reddit.com/r/politics/comments/65vl4v/cnn_treats...

Sundar Pichai (the CEO) did the same thing in his letter to employees:

"However, portions of the memo violate our Code of Conduct and cross the line by advancing harmful gender stereotypes in our workplace. [...] To suggest a group of our colleagues have traits that make them less biologically suited to that work is offensive and not OK."

https://www.blog.google/topics/diversity/note-employees-ceo-...

To those downvoting, this is relevant because it means that CNN is taking its wording from Pichai. It would have been more accurate to say, "Google CEO cuts vacation short to address controversial memo he says argued women aren't biologically fit for tech jobs" -- but one can understand why they just parroted his take on the thing.

It is a different kind of error than Gizmodo labeling the thing an anti-diversity screed.