Amazon has announced massive layoffs in October 2025, marking one of the largest corporate job cuts in its history and signaling a major shift in the tech giant’s organizational priorities. The company began notifying employees this week via email, targeting as many as 30,000 corporate positions—nearly 10% of its global white-collar workforce.
Scale and Scope of the Layoffs
Amazon employs about 1.5 million people worldwide, with around 350,000 in corporate roles. This round of layoffs primarily affects corporate divisions, including human resources (People Experience and Technology), operations, devices and services, and Amazon Web Services (AWS). The HR division is particularly hard hit, with up to 15% of its more than 10,000 staff facing redundancy.
Notifications began on October 28, as managers underwent training to sensitively deliver the news and affected employees received emails detailing severance packages and benefits, including 90 days of full pay and benefits.
Reasons Behind the Job Cuts
The layoffs are part of a broader cost-cutting initiative to streamline operations, reduce excess bureaucracy, and address overhiring that occurred during the pandemic boom. CEO Andy Jassy emphasized the need to create a leaner company focused on “our biggest bets” with significant investments in AI infrastructure. Amazon is channeling over $100 billion into artificial intelligence, expecting automation and generative AI to reshape responsibilities and workforce size in the near future.
Jassy introduced efforts to flatten management layers and launched an internal complaint system, receiving 1,500 suggestions and driving 450 process improvements. Despite a strict five-day return-to-office policy earlier this year, voluntary attrition did not reach anticipated levels, necessitating these forced reductions.
Global Impact and Market Reaction
The decision reverberates globally, with 800–1,000 corporate jobs expected to be cut in India alone. Investors and market analysts note that Amazon’s move reflects a larger trend in the tech industry, as companies refocus on efficiency and automation after pandemic-era expansions. While the layoffs have drawn sharp criticism and social media backlash, Amazon also signals ongoing hiring for seasonal warehouse positions and new roles in strategic areas tied to AI and emerging technologies.
Conclusion
Amazon’s October 2025 layoffs reshape its corporate workforce amid a push for leaner operations and increased AI adoption. The decision to eliminate up to 30,000 jobs, including 14,000 confirmed cuts, marks a pivotal moment for the company and the tech sector, underscoring how artificial intelligence and automation are fundamentally changing employee roles and organizational structures.
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