Amazon to cut 14,000 corporate jobs amid shift toward AI investments

Amazon says it plans to lay off about 14,000 corporate employees this year as part of a restructuring effort tied to the company’s growing use of artificial intelligence. The move marks one of the largest workforce reductions in the tech giant’s history and reflects the company’s transition toward greater automation.

In a statement, Amazon said it will continue to hire for roles in key growth areas, including AI development and cloud services, and that laid-off employees will be given priority for those positions. The company added that additional job cuts could follow as it continues to integrate AI tools across departments.

Amazon reported a total of 1.56 million full- and part-time employees at the end of last year, with approximately 350,000 in corporate positions. Chief Executive Officer Andy Jassy said earlier this year that as generative AI becomes more capable, the company’s overall corporate workforce would likely shrink in the years ahead.

Industry experts note that large corporations are increasingly using AI to automate tasks such as software development and data management in efforts to reduce costs and improve efficiency. The shift raises questions about how quickly workplaces will adapt to the changing technology.