Amazon AI-driven layoffs leave thousands of workers jobless

Amazon has eliminated roughly 30,000 jobs in two recent waves, bringing total cuts since 2022 to more than 57,000—about 16% of its corporate workforce. The company cites artificial intelligence as the main driver of the fourth consecutive month of AI‑related layoff announcements, accounting for roughly 23% of all tech sector job reductions in the United States early in 2026. Across the sector, firms such as Meta, Microsoft, Cisco, Oracle and Salesforce have together trimmed about 140,000 positions, the highest number of any industry.

Former Amazon staff report that finding new employment has become far more difficult, with hundreds of applications often receiving no response while the few open posts attract hundreds of candidates. Some have secured roles at smaller tech firms or in medical‑technology companies at lower salaries, while others have transitioned to AI‑focused firms with more flexible work arrangements. CEO Andy Jassy has urged current employees to adopt AI tools wherever possible and has tied AI usage to performance evaluations. At the same time, Amazon is expanding recruitment in lower‑cost locations such as India to reduce labor expenses.