Amazon is preparing to eliminate tens of thousands of corporate positions in a major restructuring, multiple media reports say. The layoffs could begin as early as this week.
According to The Wall Street Journal and Reuters, the company plans to cut up to 30,000 jobs. The move is part of a cost-cutting and efficiency initiative led by CEO Andy Jassy, aimed at streamlining operations and refocusing company priorities.
Amazon declined to comment when approached by international news outlets.
Largest layoffs since 2022
If confirmed, the reductions would rank among the largest in the technology sector this year. They would also mark Amazon’s biggest workforce cut since 2022, when roughly 27,000 employees were let go over several months.
Reports from CNBC and The New York Times cited sources familiar with internal discussions. The outlets did not specify which regions or departments will face the largest cuts.
Corporate staff hardest hit
The layoffs could impact about ten percent of Amazon’s corporate workforce. Despite the high number, the reductions would still represent only a small portion of the company’s global staff of more than 1.5 million employees.
According to U.S. filings, Amazon employs roughly 350,000 corporate workers worldwide, including executives, managers, and sales professionals.
Pandemic hiring boom now reverses
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Amazon expanded rapidly to meet soaring demand for online shopping and home delivery services. The company added tens of thousands of workers as millions of customers shifted to e-commerce.
Now, under CEO Andy Jassy, Amazon is focusing on cost reduction and operational efficiency. The company is also investing heavily in artificial intelligence to improve productivity and streamline operations.
AI reshapes Amazon workforce
Jassy said in June that artificial intelligence will significantly change staffing needs. Automation, he explained, will replace routine tasks while creating new roles 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.”
