E-commerce giant Amazon is set to reduce its corporate workforce, cutting 14,000 roles, in the coming months, according to a letter published by the company’s SVP, Beth Galetti, on Oct. 28.
Amazon wants to speed up company productivity and double down on AI, Beth Galetti said.
Galetti wrote that the massive cut was due in part to Amazon’s continuing efforts to strengthen its culture and organizational efficiency, aiming to operate like the “world’s largest startup” by reducing bureaucracy, increasing productivity and speed, and strengthening its AI tools and services.
To achieve this goal, Amazon will reduce its corporate workforce by roughly 14,000 roles, while also hiring in strategic areas. Impacted employees will receive support, including 90-day assistance to find internal roles within the company. Should employees choose to leave Amazon completely, Galetti promised that impacted staff would continue to receive support like severance and “outplacement services, health insurance benefits, and more” as they transitioned to a new role.
This marks the second-largest job cut carried out by the company since 2022, when Amazon cut 27,000 corporate jobs. Beth Galetti noted that this second wave of layoffs, in particular, was driven by Amazon’s desire to stay agile and competitive amid rapid technological change—especially AI—by organizing more leanly and ensuring resources focus on the company’s biggest customers and business priorities.
Despite Amazon’s strong performance in recent months, these changes are meant to accelerate innovation and improve customer experiences, she explained.
“What we need to remember is that the world is changing quickly. This generation of AI is the most transformative technology we’ve seen since the Internet, and it’s enabling companies to innovate much faster than ever before (in existing market segments and altogether new ones),” Galetti wrote. “We’re convinced that we need to be organized more leanly, with fewer layers and more ownership, to move as quickly as possible for our customers and business.”
The company has released several new AI-powered features and workplace tools over the last week.
Amazon has approximately 350,000 corporate employees and a total workforce of about 1.56 million, according to the Associated Press. The recent cuts announced Tuesday represent roughly a 4% reduction in the company’s corporate workforce. In June, CEO Andy Jassy—who has aggressively sought to cut costs since becoming CEO in 2021—said he anticipated that generative AI would reduce Amazon’s corporate workforce over the next few years. At that time, Jassy noted that Amazon had more than 1,000 generative AI services and applications either in development or already built, but said this figure was a “small fraction” of what the company plans to develop, the Associated Press reported.
Amazon has been actively innovating with generative AI, highlighting several new products just days before the layoff announcement. The AI-powered Interests feature, for example, continuously scans for new products that match personalized prompts, notifying customers about items aligned with their passions, while Amazon’s new AI shopping assistant, Rufus, answers real-time questions, provides product details, compares items, and retrieves information from previous orders.
In Amazon fulfillment centers across the U.S., AI and robotics systems like Blue Jay and Project Eluna help employees work smarter: Blue Jay handles repetitive tasks, while Project Eluna provides operational insights, creating more efficient workflows, the company noted in a press release. Additionally, AI-driven sustainability initiatives are helping reduce packaging waste, support disaster response, and advance clean energy solutions.
Future-proof your career in the age of AI
If you’ve been impacted by the recent layoffs at Amazon or any industry this year, now is the time to strengthen your skills in AI and technology. According to a recent Lightcast report, since 2024, 51% of current job postings now require AI skills outside of IT and computer science roles, and there has been an 800% increase in generative AI-related positions across non-tech industries since 2022. This means it’s essential to enhance your knowledge of digital tools and technologies.
Building skills in basic computer literacy, social media management, and data analysis is a great starting point. Understanding how to use software applications, navigate the internet, and manage digital communication forms the foundation of digital literacy. Additionally, learning to leverage social media for marketing and brand-building can open opportunities across a wide range of industries. Proficiency in data management tools is also valuable, as it can lead to roles in fields such as marketing, finance, and operations.
To become AI-literate, consider taking courses and applying these tools in your daily work to develop hands-on familiarity. Pluralsight, a company focused on empowering the tech workforce, offers free courses that can help with this. Learners can access over 100 foundational courses, hands-on labs, and skill assessments covering a range of technology subjects. Some examples include: Generative AI Foundations: Prompt Engineering to learn how to interact effectively with AI models; Cloud: Exploring Amazon Q Developer to understand how cloud-based AI assistants streamline work; and Developer: JavaScript Fundamentals to build a solid coding foundation.
As previously noted, analytical and critical thinking skills are becoming increasingly valuable across the workforce. The ability to analyze data and innovate solutions is crucial for roles such as data analysts, product developers, and business strategists. Complex problem-solving skills are essential for addressing challenges in engineering, project management, and healthcare. Critical thinking, which involves evaluating arguments and making informed decisions, is vital in management, consulting, and academia.
Meanwhile, creativity and originality remain in high demand across marketing, design, and content creation. Developing cross-functional skills is equally important. Some of the most successful professionals are those who can bridge multiple disciplines, such as marketers who understand data analysis, design, and psychology, enabling them to collaborate effectively with specialists.
Once you’ve mastered these skills, start exploring roles that match your expertise. According to Review Raccoon on Medium, there is a growing number of AI-related positions emerging. One example is the AI Integration Specialist, a role that doesn’t involve building AI models but focuses on identifying where AI can create value within a business. These professionals act as translators between what’s technologically possible and what’s strategically beneficial, Review Raccoon noted.
Another growing area is AI Ethics and Governance, where professionals address the ethical implications, bias concerns, and governance challenges of AI systems. These roles go beyond compliance; they focus on ensuring that AI technologies reflect human values and are implemented responsibly.
SEE MORE:
Poll: Nearly Half Of Americans Lack Confidence In Job Market
Op-Ed: 300,000 Black Women Left Or Were Pushed Out Of The Workforce
Amazon To Cut 14K Jobs For AI: Here’s How To Adapt Before You’re Next
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