Amazon is preparing to eliminate thousands of corporate jobs in a sweeping restructuring effort that could begin this week, according to several media outlets.
Reports from The Wall Street Journal and Reuters suggest the company plans to cut up to 30,000 positions. The move is part of a larger cost-reduction drive led by chief executive Andy Jassy.
When approached by international reporters, Amazon declined to comment on the reports.
Largest layoffs since 2022
If confirmed, this would be one of the biggest corporate layoffs in recent months. It would also represent Amazon’s largest workforce reduction since 2022, when the company cut about 27,000 jobs over several months.
Additional reports from CNBC and The New York Times supported the claims, citing sources familiar with the discussions. The exact regions or departments affected remain unclear.
Corporate divisions hit hardest
The layoffs could impact around ten percent of Amazon’s corporate employees. Despite the large figure, it represents only a small fraction of Amazon’s global headcount of over 1.5 million workers.
According to U.S. government filings, Amazon employs about 350,000 corporate staff worldwide, including executives, managers, and sales teams.
Pandemic growth leads to retrenchment
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Amazon hired aggressively to meet soaring demand for online shopping and delivery services. The company expanded rapidly as consumers shifted their habits toward e-commerce.
Now, CEO Andy Jassy is focused on tightening budgets and boosting efficiency. Amazon has been investing heavily in artificial intelligence to optimize operations and cut costs.
AI transforms the company’s workforce
Jassy said in June that the increasing use of AI tools will likely lead to significant changes in staffing. Automation, he explained, will take over many repetitive tasks.
“We will need fewer people doing some of the jobs that are being done today,” Jassy said. “And more people doing new types of work that these technologies create.”
