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Amazon prepares for another round of layoffs
23 Jan 2026

Amazon is gearing up for another round of layoffs, with plans to start as soon as next week, according to Bloomberg.

The move comes as part of a larger effort to cut down on bureaucracy and streamline management layers.

The company has already cut around 14,000 corporate jobs in October last year.

2nd round of layoffs could affect 30,000 jobs
Job cuts

The second round of layoffs from Amazon is expected to contribute to a total reduction of around 30,000 corporate jobs.

The company had already cut about half of that number in the first round.

The new job cuts are likely to be similar in scale and could start as early as Tuesday next week, according to people familiar with the matter who wished to remain anonymous.

Various Amazon units to be impacted by layoffs
Fact

The upcoming job cuts will impact several Amazon units, including Amazon Web Services, retail, Prime Video, and People Experience and Technology (HR). However, the full extent of these layoffs is still unclear.

AI's role in Amazon's job cuts
AI influence

The first round of job cuts in October was discussed in the context of the rise of AI software, but CEO Andy Jassy later clarified that these reductions were not financially or even AI-driven.

Instead, they were more about addressing culture and bureaucracy within the company.

An internal letter from Amazon had said, "This generation of AI is the most transformative technology we've seen since the Internet, and it's enabling companies to innovate much faster than ever before."

Amazon's corporate workforce to shrink over time
Workforce reduction

Jassy had previously said in 2025 that he expected Amazon's corporate workforce to shrink over time due to efficiencies gained from AI.

The total number of job cuts would be small compared to Amazon's overall employee count of 1.58 million but would account for nearly 10% of its corporate workforce.

Most of the company's employees are in fulfillment centers and warehouses, not in corporate roles.