E-commerce and cloud major Amazon is preparing for a second round of corporate job cuts next week, as part of its broader plan to reduce around 30,000 white-collar roles, according to people familiar with the matter.

Second phase of layoffs expected soon

Sources said the new round of layoffs could begin as early as Tuesday and is expected to be similar in scale to the cuts announced in October, when Amazon eliminated about 14,000 corporate roles. That earlier move accounted for nearly half of the company’s overall reduction target, first reported by Reuters.

An Amazon spokesperson declined to comment on the development. Those aware of the plan cautioned that details could still change.

Key business units likely to be affected

The upcoming layoffs are expected to impact teams across Amazon Web Services (AWS), retail operations, Prime Video, and the human resources division, known internally as People Experience and Technology. The exact number of roles and locations affected remain unclear.

If completed, the full reduction of 30,000 jobs would account for nearly 10 per cent of Amazon’s corporate workforce, though it represents a small fraction of its total global headcount of about 1.58 million employees, most of whom work in warehouses and fulfilment centres.

AI, efficiency and ‘too much bureaucracy’

Amazon initially linked the October layoffs to the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, calling AI the most transformative technology since the internet. However, Chief Executive Officer Andy Jassy later clarified that the decision was more cultural than financial or AI-driven.

Speaking during the company’s third-quarter earnings call, Jassy said Amazon had accumulated too many layers of management and internal bureaucracy over time. He added that efficiencies gained through AI and automation would gradually reduce the need for corporate roles.

Largest job cut in Amazon’s history

The current restructuring would mark the largest layoff in Amazon’s three-decade history, surpassing the roughly 27,000 jobs cut in 2022. Employees affected in October were allowed to stay on the payroll for 90 days while seeking internal or external roles—a period that ends on Monday.

As companies globally turn to AI tools to automate routine tasks, Amazon’s move highlights the growing pressure on corporate roles amid rapid technological change.



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