Amazon cuts 16,000 jobs globally to undo pandemic-era hiring amid AI pressure, second round of layoffs in 3 months
Amazon cuts 16,000 jobs globally to undo pandemic-era hiring amid AI pressure, second round of layoffs in 3 months
Amazon has begun a new round of layoffs after cutting nearly 14,000 jobs by the end of 2025. This time, the company is cutting 16,000 roles globally as it scales back pandemic-era hiring and turns its focus to artificial intelligence, marking the second round of job cuts in just three months. The latest round of job cuts was announced by Amazon Chief People Officer Beth Galetti in an official blog post on Wednesday, January 28. According to Amazon, the layoffs are part of broader organizational changes aimed at reducing management layers, increasing ownership, and cutting bureaucracy, after some teams completed their restructuring later than others.
“As I shared in October, we are working to strengthen our organization by reducing layers, increasing ownership, and removing bureaucracy. While many teams finalized their organizational changes in October, other teams have not completed that work yet,” Galetti wrote in the official blog post.
He added, “The cuts we’re making today will impact approximately 16,000 roles across Amazon, and we’re working hard again to support everyone whose role is impacted. This starts with offering most US-based employees 90 days to search for a new role internally (timing will vary internationally based on local and country level requirements).
The latest round of layoffs at Amazon are largely concentrated in the company’s corporate workforce, including teams in technology, retail, cloud services, media and internal support functions. According to media reports, divisions such as Amazon Web Services, retail operations, Prime Video and human resources are among those affected, as the company cuts white-collar roles instead of frontline or fulfillment employees.
Affected employees are being offered transition support, including time to apply for internal roles, severance pay and benefits, even as the company continues to selectively hire in areas critical to its long-term growth. Galetti said, “While we are making these changes, we will also continue to hire and invest in strategic areas and functions that are important to our future. We are still in the early stages of building each of our businesses and there are significant opportunities ahead.”
In the US, affected employees will typically have three months to apply for other roles within the company, while the process and timelines in international markets, including India, will vary depending on local labor laws and regulatory requirements. Those who do not transition internally will receive severance pay, outplacement assistance, and health benefits, where applicable. “For associates who are unable to find a new role at Amazon or who do not wish to look for a job, we will provide transition assistance, including severance pay, outplacement services, health insurance benefits, and more,” Galetti wrote.
Amazon cuts 30,000 jobs overall
Notably, this round of layoffs brings Amazon’s total job cuts to nearly 30,000 employees over the past year, with the company looking to reduce its workforce to around 14,000 by the end of 2025. Overall, the recent cuts now exceed the 27,000 layoffs announced in 2023, while the company focuses on realigning its workforce after an aggressive pandemic-era expansion while prioritizing investments in strategic areas like AI.
