Amazon is preparing to eliminate tens of thousands of corporate positions in a sweeping restructuring, several media outlets report. The layoffs could start 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 strategy led by chief executive Andy Jassy, aimed at streamlining operations and refocusing company priorities.
Amazon declined to comment when contacted by international news organizations.
Largest layoffs since 2022
If confirmed, the reductions would rank among the biggest in the tech sector this year. They would also mark Amazon’s largest workforce cut since 2022, when about 27,000 employees were laid off over several months.
Reports from CNBC and The New York Times cited sources familiar with the matter. The outlets did not specify which regions or departments will be affected most.
Corporate staff hardest hit
The layoffs could affect roughly ten percent of Amazon’s corporate workforce. Despite the large number, the cuts would represent only a small portion of the company’s global staff of over 1.5 million employees.
According to U.S. filings, Amazon employs about 350,000 corporate workers worldwide, including executives, managers, and sales teams.
Pandemic-era growth reverses
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Amazon hired aggressively to meet surging demand for e-commerce and home delivery. The company expanded rapidly as millions of customers turned to online shopping.
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 reduce expenses.
AI transforms workforce structure
In June, Jassy said that AI will reshape Amazon’s staffing needs. Automation, he explained, will take over repetitive tasks while creating new opportunities 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 create.”
