Amazon planning thousands of job cuts next week after axing 14,000 due to AI: report

Core Viewpoint - Amazon is planning a second round of job cuts, aiming to reduce its corporate workforce by approximately 30,000 employees, following an earlier reduction of about 14,000 jobs in October 2022 [1][10]. Group 1: Job Cuts Details - The upcoming job cuts are expected to affect positions in Amazon Web Services, retail, Prime Video, and human resources, although the full scope of the layoffs remains unclear [3][9]. - The total number of job cuts this time is anticipated to be similar to the previous round, which was part of a broader strategy to streamline operations [1][10]. - If the full 30,000 jobs are cut, it would represent nearly 10% of Amazon's corporate workforce, which is a small portion of its total 1.58 million employees [8][11]. Group 2: Context and Reasons - The October job cuts were initially linked to advancements in artificial intelligence, with the company stating that AI is enabling faster innovation [4][7]. - However, CEO Andy Jassy later clarified that the layoffs were not primarily driven by financial or AI factors, but rather by a need to reduce bureaucracy and improve company culture [4][5][6]. - Jassy has previously indicated that the corporate workforce is expected to shrink over time due to efficiencies gained from AI [6][7]. Group 3: Historical Context - The planned layoffs would mark the largest in Amazon's history, surpassing the approximately 27,000 jobs cut in 2022 [10]. - Affected employees from the previous round were informed they would remain on payroll for 90 days, during which they could seek other internal positions or external employment [10].