Amazon To Slash 30,000 Jobs: Here's What Could Be The Biggest Layoff Wave Yet

Rugman_Walking · 2026-02-08T07:04:44+00:00

Amazon plans to cut around 30,000 corporate positions, nearly 10% of its workforce, marking a potential historic layoff. This follows previous cuts and aims to streamline operations amid increasing AI integration, shifting focus from cost-cutting to organizational efficiency.

Rugman_Walking

2026-02-08 07:04:44

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According to Reuters, Amazon is preparing for another major workforce reduction that could reshape the company’s corporate structure. The planned cuts of approximately 30,000 positions represent nearly 10% of Amazon’s corporate workforce—making this potentially the largest layoff event in the company’s history if it moves forward.

Building Up to the Biggest Cut

To understand the scale of what’s coming, it helps to look backward. In 2022, Amazon conducted layoffs affecting around 27,000 employees. Then in October 2025, the company cut roughly 14,000 office positions—roughly half of what’s now being planned. These moves form a clear trajectory: Amazon has been steadily reducing its corporate headcount. With 30,000 positions on the chopping block from a total corporate workforce, this next round would dwarf previous efforts and represent an unprecedented restructuring event.

Where the Layoffs Will Hit Hardest

The cuts are expected to ripple across multiple divisions, though specifics remain fluid. Teams at Amazon Web Services (AWS), the retail division, Prime Video, and human resources departments face potential impacts. While the final scope could still shift, sources suggest the reductions could begin as early as the following week after the announcement. With 1.58 million total employees at Amazon, the impact on the broader workforce is modest—but for those in corporate roles, the implications are significant.

The AI Excuse: Automation Over Cost-Cutting

Amazon’s leadership has framed these layoffs differently than a typical cost-reduction measure. CEO Andy Jassy initially linked the October cuts to artificial intelligence, suggesting AI enables companies to operate with greater speed and efficiency. However, Jassy later clarified that the layoffs aren’t primarily financial—instead, they’re about reducing organizational bureaucracy and fostering healthier company culture.

In early 2025, Jassy hinted that Amazon’s corporate workforce would likely continue shrinking as AI automates routine tasks. This reflects a broader industry trend: companies increasingly deploy AI to write code, handle repetitive workflows, and streamline operations. For Amazon, the narrative centers on transformation rather than downsizing—a distinction that may matter more to management than to affected employees.

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