Re: Once was Microsoft, now it's Google...
Depends on the version of Cyanogemod you've got installed. If it's 7 there's still a ton of Google stuff pre-installed in the bare bones version. See https://wiki.cyanogenmod.org/w/Barebones#GApps_Note
That said, from the reduction in Google things in version 10, I suspect Google has been working to at least somewhat decouple itself from Android and instead rely on the licencing agreements mentioned in the article to get themselves installed after the fact
Biting the hand that feeds IT
