Amazon is cutting 16,000 corporate jobs in its second large-scale layoff in less than four months, expanding a wider restructuring that began in October 2025.
In a blog post, Beth Galetti, Senior Vice President of People Experience and Technology, said the new cuts complete changes in departments that were still being reviewed when the initial 14,000 layoffs were announced. Together, these two rounds bring the total number of eliminated corporate roles to 30,000, about 9% of Amazon’s office workforce.
The company said it is adjusting internal processes to reduce layers of management and remove operational delays that can hinder new development.
CEO Andy Jassy has previously emphasized the need for faster decision-making and team-level responsibility.
While Galetti stated that Amazon is not introducing a regular cycle of job reductions, she acknowledged that teams will continue to evaluate their setup and make staffing changes when necessary.
Why It Matters: Amazon’s decisions around workforce and organizational design influence thinking across the tech and retail sectors. Automation and artificial intelligence are shaping how companies rethink roles and build teams for new types of work. When a company of this size makes structural changes, it often prompts others to reconsider how they balance technology with human capital.
- Job Cuts Reach New Total Across Corporate Divisions: The 16,000 layoffs announced this week expand on the company’s earlier cuts from October 2025. According to Galetti, the latest reductions apply to teams that had not finalized their structure during the first round. This phased approach is intended to bring long-term clarity to how departments function and collaborate.
- Efficiency and Team Design Remain Central Goals: The restructuring focuses on fewer layers between leadership and project execution. Galetti cited the importance of ownership and direct accountability at the team level. These changes are described as necessary for improving how the company operates internally, particularly as it takes on more technical development in fields like artificial intelligence.
- CEO Outlines Ongoing Role of AI in Workforce Planning: Andy Jassy has publicly stated that automation will reduce the number of people needed for some functions while increasing demand in others. In earlier internal memos, he described a future where many current responsibilities are handled by AI tools or newly created systems. Amazon expects these developments to affect how work is assigned and how teams grow or shrink.
- Layoffs Accompanied by Unexpected Internal Email: Before the announcement was made public, many Amazon Web Services employees received a calendar invite referencing “Project Dawn” and the upcoming job cuts. The message was pulled back shortly after, but it drew attention internally due to the timing and the lack of official details at that moment.
- Amazon Go and Fresh Stores to Close as Retail Focus Shifts: On the same day the layoffs were announced, Amazon confirmed it will shut down its Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh retail stores. The company plans to open 100 new Whole Foods locations and expand services tied to same-day grocery delivery. The move follows internal reviews and focuses on areas where customer engagement and store performance have been stronger.
Go Deeper -> Update on our organization – Amazon News
Amazon is laying off 16,000 employees as AI battle intensifies – CNN Business
Amazon says it is laying off 16,000 employees – TechCrunch
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