Amazon is preparing to eliminate tens of thousands of corporate positions in a major restructuring, multiple media outlets report. 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 contacted by international news organizations.
Biggest layoffs since 2022
If confirmed, the reductions would rank among the largest in the tech sector this year. They would also mark Amazon’s largest workforce cut since 2022, when around 27,000 employees were dismissed over several months.
Reports from CNBC and The New York Times cited sources familiar with internal discussions. The reports did not specify which regions or departments will be most affected.
Corporate staff hit hardest
The layoffs could impact roughly ten percent of Amazon’s corporate workforce. Despite the high number, the reductions represent only a small portion 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 hiring boom now reverses
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Amazon expanded rapidly 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 reduction and operational efficiency. The company is also investing heavily in artificial intelligence to boost productivity and streamline operations.
AI expected to reshape workforce
Jassy said in June that artificial intelligence will significantly change staffing needs. Automation, he explained, will replace many 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.”
