SAN FRANCISCO, Jan 23, 2026, 05:14 PST
- Amazon plans a second wave of corporate job cuts next week as it targets about 30,000 reductions, sources say
- Layoffs are expected to hit AWS, retail, Prime Video and HR, with a possible start on Tuesday, Jan. 27
- The 90-day paid window for workers cut in October ends Monday, Jan. 26
Amazon is planning a second round of corporate job cuts next week as part of a push to trim about 30,000 white-collar roles, according to two people familiar with the matter. The layoffs could start as early as Tuesday, Jan. 27.
1
The timing is tight. Workers hit in October were kept on the payroll for 90 days while they applied for other roles inside the company, and that period expires on Monday.
The people said the latest cuts are expected to affect Amazon Web Services, the company’s cloud computing division, as well as retail, Prime Video and human resources, known internally as People Experience and Technology. They cautioned the full scope was unclear and plans could still change.
Amazon cut about 14,000 corporate jobs in October, roughly half of the 30,000 target. The next tranche is expected to be about the same size, the people said.
If carried out in full, the 30,000 reductions would be the largest layoff in Amazon’s three-decade history. The company trimmed about 27,000 jobs in 2022.
In October, Amazon tied that round of job cuts to the rise of artificial intelligence, or AI. Companies have been using AI to write software code and adopting “AI agents” — tools that automate routine tasks — as they look to save costs and rely on fewer people.
Chief Executive Andy Jassy later told analysts the reduction was “not really financially driven” and “not even really AI-driven.” “It’s culture,” he said, arguing the company had built up too much bureaucracy.
But the next round is not locked in. Amazon has not confirmed the plan, and the people familiar with the matter said details could shift before any notices go out.
The 30,000 jobs would represent a small portion of Amazon’s roughly 1.58 million employees, but nearly 10% of its corporate workforce. Most of the company’s employees work in fulfillment centers and warehouses.
Fox Business cited an internal message from October that told affected employees they would get 90 days to look for new roles internally, saying: “We’re working hard to support everyone whose role is impacted.” The outlet also reported Jassy launched an anonymous complaint line to identify inefficiencies, drawing roughly 1,500 responses and leading to more than 450 process changes.
2
The Verge also flagged the planned layoffs late Thursday, pointing to the same report and noting the cuts could begin as early as Tuesday.
3
