Amazon is preparing to cut thousands of corporate jobs in what would be the largest workforce reduction in the company’s history, which would affect nearly 10% of Amazon’s white-collar workforce and extend the E-commerce giant’s efforts to streamline operations after an earlier round of layoffs.
According to Reuters, the second phase of job reductions is expected to begin as soon as next week, and could mirror the scale of cuts first announced in October 2025 when Amazon eliminated roughly 14,000 corporate positions. Together, the layoffs could total about 30,000 jobs, though the final tally and timing remain fluid.
Divisions expected to be impacted include Amazon Web Services, its retail and human resources teams, and its Prime Video unit, according to the report. The reductions would affect mainly office-based roles and are separate from the company’s fulfillment center workforce, which remains largely intact.
A recent study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology found that advances in artificial intelligence could put about 11.7% of U.S. jobs at risk of automation, underscoring growing concerns about the technology’s impact on white-collar employment. The research suggests that roles involving routine cognitive tasks are particularly vulnerable as companies increasingly deploy AI to improve efficiency and reduce costs.
CEO Andy Jassy has previously described workforce changes as part of broader efforts to reduce bureaucracy and streamline decision-making. In October, Amazon linked earlier cuts to efficiencies gained from technology such as artificial intelligence, though Jassy later emphasized that reductions were driven by organizational alignment rather than simply cost-cutting.
The planned layoffs would surpass the roughly 27,000 jobs that Amazon eliminated in 2022, according to reports. The company employs more than 1.5 million people globally, though its corporate staff is a small fraction of its total workforce.
Amazon did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Workers affected by the earlier round of layoffs were reportedly kept on company payrolls for a transition period while seeking new roles internally or externally.
The future of work is changing faster than anyone expected — and Amazon is leading the charge. According to internal strategy documents, the retail and logistics giant plans to automate an estimated 600,000 human jobs by 2033 through robots, AI, and advanced automation systems. That’s more than half a million roles across warehouses, logistics, customer service, and even technical departments. This transformation will redefine what “work” looks like — from the warehouse floor to the executive suite — and highlights the urgent need for reskilling and upskilling in an AI-driven gig economy.
For more news and reports on emerging technologies, including AI, robotics, cybersecurity, blockchain, gaming and the evolving gig economy, visit the home page of The Gignomist.
