Amazon Plans More Layoffs as Part of 30,000 Job Cuts in 2026

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Amazon is preparing its second major round of layoffs in three months, affecting nearly 10% of its corporate workforce

Amazon 2026 Layoffs Explained

Amazon is about to make one of the biggest workforce reductions in its 30-year history. 

The e-commerce giant is preparing to eliminate 30,000 corporate jobs, with the second wave of layoffs expected to begin in January 2026, according to Reuters. 

This latest round will cut around 16,000 positions, following a similar reduction of 14,000 jobs in October 2025. That totals to its 30,000 workforce reduction plan.

Update: Amazon confirmed on Janaury 28 that these layoffs will affect approximately 16,000 roles across the compan. The company stated that it is taking steps to support employees whose positions are impacted and to help them transition during the process.

Behind these headlines are thousands of software engineers, marketers, HR professionals, and managers, who will need to find new employment. Most of the job cuts last time were engineers. Managerial job roles are also hit hard.

Employees who were laid off in October were given 90 days to either find new positions within Amazon or seek employment elsewhere while remaining on the company payroll. 

“We’re working hard to support everyone whose role is impacted, including offering most employees 90 days to look for a new role internally, and our recruiting teams will prioritize internal candidates to help as many people as possible find new roles within Amazon.”

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These new cuts will begin as early as January 27 or 28.

Here’s where things get interesting. When Amazon first announced layoffs in October, the company attributed them to the rise of AI, saying in an internal message that “this generation of AI is the most transformative technology we’ve seen since the internet.”

But CEO Andy Jassy confirmed that these layoffs aren’t really about saving money, and they are not even about AI. Instead, he said the problem is excessive bureaucracy and too many layers of management.

As part of the transition plan, Amazon will offer most U.S.-based employees up to 90 days to search for and apply to other internal roles within the companyFor employees who do not secure another role internally, Amazon said it will provide transition assistance, including severance pay andcontinued health insurance coverage where applicable.

Which Jobs are getting cut?

The job cuts will sweep across multiple divisions of Amazon’s corporate operations. Employees in the following areas are expected to be affected:

• Amazon Web Services (AWS)
• Retail operations
• Prime Video
• People Experience and Technology

While Amazon employs over 1.5 million workers globally, these cuts specifically target the corporate workforce of approximately 350,000 employees. 

They are the white-collar jobs that Bill Gates has warned that they are under threat in the next 4 to 5 years as AI development progresses.

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The vast majority of Amazon’s employees work in warehouses and fulfillment centers and are not expected to be affected.

Bottom Line

As 2025 told us, this is a broader sweeping through the technology sector and corporate America. What makes Amazon’s approach notable is the scale. 30,000 jobs represent nearly 10% of its corporate workforce.

For employees, uncertainty is high. Many corporate workers have been watching internal forums for weeks as managers hinted at upcoming layoffs.

While AI is transforming how companies operate and may reduce the need for some jobs in the long term, Jassy’s focus on bureaucracy suggests Amazon’s leadership believes the company simply got too complicated for its own good.