Washington: Amazon is preparing to lay off as many as 30,000 corporate employees, in what could become one of the largest rounds of job cuts by a global tech firm in recent months.
According to media reports, the layoffs are part of a sweeping cost-reduction plan led by Chief Executive Officer Andy Jassy. The reported figure represents about 10 percent of Amazon’s corporate workforce but only a small portion of its overall global staff of more than 1.5 million employees.
The move would mark Amazon’s biggest workforce reduction since 2022, when the company eliminated approximately 27,000 positions over several months. Major outlets have also reported on the expected cuts, citing sources familiar with the matter. It remains unclear which regions or departments will be most affected.
Amazon currently employs around 350,000 corporate workers, including those in executive, managerial, and sales roles, according to figures filed with the US government last year. Like many tech giants, Amazon expanded rapidly during the Covid-19 pandemic to meet soaring demand for online shopping and digital services.
However, under Jassy’s leadership, the company has shifted focus toward streamlining operations and investing in artificial intelligence (AI) technologies aimed at improving efficiency and reducing costs.
In June, Jassy hinted that the growing adoption of AI tools could eventually lead to workforce changes. Jassy stated that, “We will need fewer people doing some of the jobs that are being done today, and more people doing other types of jobs.”
The potential layoffs come as Amazon continues to balance heavy AI investments with pressure to maintain profitability in a more competitive global tech environment.
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