Amazon is planning to slash tens of thousands of corporate positions as part of a major restructuring, multiple media reports say. The layoffs could begin as soon as this week.
According to The Wall Street Journal and Reuters, the company intends to cut up to 30,000 jobs. The move is part of a cost-cutting strategy led by CEO Andy Jassy, aimed at streamlining operations and refocusing the company’s priorities.
Amazon declined to comment when approached by international news organizations.
Largest layoffs since 2022
If confirmed, the cuts would rank among the biggest in the tech sector this year. They would also mark Amazon’s largest workforce reduction since 2022, when around 27,000 employees were let go over several months.
Reports from CNBC and The New York Times cited sources familiar with internal discussions. The reports did not specify which divisions or regions will be most affected.
Corporate staff face heavy reductions
The layoffs could impact roughly ten percent of Amazon’s corporate workforce. Despite the large number, the reductions represent only a small fraction of the company’s total global staff of more than 1.5 million employees.
U.S. filings show Amazon employs about 350,000 corporate workers worldwide, including executives, managers, and sales professionals.
Pandemic-era expansion reverses
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Amazon hired aggressively to meet soaring demand for online shopping and delivery services. The company added tens of thousands of employees as millions of customers relied on e-commerce.
Now, under CEO Andy Jassy, Amazon is prioritizing cost control and operational efficiency. At the same time, the company is investing heavily in artificial intelligence to boost productivity and streamline operations.
AI set to reshape workforce
Jassy said in June that AI will drive major changes in staffing. Automation, he explained, will replace many routine tasks while creating new opportunities in other areas.
“We will need fewer people doing some of the jobs that are being done today,” Jassy said. “And more people doing new kinds of work that these technologies enable.”
