Amazon is preparing to cut tens of thousands of corporate jobs in one of its largest rounds of layoffs in years, according to multiple media reports. The reductions could begin as early as this week.
Both The Wall Street Journal and Reuters report that Amazon plans to eliminate up to 30,000 positions. The move is part of a global cost-cutting campaign led by chief executive Andy Jassy, who is seeking to streamline the company after a period of rapid expansion.
Amazon declined to provide a statement when approached by international media outlets.
Largest restructuring since 2022
If confirmed, the layoffs would be among the biggest in the technology sector this year. They would also represent Amazon’s largest workforce reduction since 2022, when the company dismissed about 27,000 employees over several months.
Reports from CNBC and The New York Times confirmed similar details, citing sources close to the matter. However, none of the outlets specified which departments or countries will be affected.
Corporate workforce faces steep reductions
The planned job cuts could affect around ten percent of Amazon’s corporate staff. Despite the high number, it would still represent a small share of the company’s total global workforce of more than 1.5 million employees.
According to figures submitted to U.S. authorities last year, Amazon employs about 350,000 corporate workers worldwide, including executives, managers, and sales staff.
Pandemic growth gives way to retrenchment
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Amazon hired at record levels to meet surging demand for e-commerce and delivery services. The company’s workforce ballooned as millions of customers relied on its platform for essential goods.
Now, under Andy Jassy’s leadership, Amazon is cutting costs and prioritizing efficiency. The company has also invested heavily in artificial intelligence to improve performance and lower expenses.
AI drives structural change across the company
In June, Jassy said that AI would play a growing role in Amazon’s operations and workforce planning. He explained that automation will replace many repetitive tasks but also create new opportunities in emerging 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 come with these technologies.”
