E-commerce and technology giant Amazon has officially confirmed plans to cut approximately 16,000 jobs worldwide over the next three months, forming part of a broader strategy to reduce nearly 30,000 corporate roles within the organization. This announcement, made on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, by Beth Galetti, Amazon's senior vice president of people experience and technology, follows previous rounds of layoffs that impacted approximately 27,000 employees in late 2022 and early 2023, including 14,000 positions cut in October 2025.

The company's restructuring efforts are aimed at strengthening the organization by reducing layers, increasing ownership, and removing bureaucracy. Galetti reassured employees that Amazon provides significant support during this transition, including 90 days for US-based employees to seek new internal roles, along with severance and additional assistance. Despite these significant changes, Amazon has stated its commitment to continue hiring and investing in key strategic areas crucial for its future growth.

Divisions expected to be impacted by these layoffs include Amazon Web Services (AWS), retail, Prime Video, and the People Experience and Technology (HR) units. An earlier internal memo from October 2025 initially linked layoffs to the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) software, describing this generation of AI as the