In a significant departure from the company structure, Amazon is said to be gearing up for a new wave of layoffs that will begin as soon as next week (January 27, 2026). That latest round is part of a wider program to cut about 30,000 corporate jobs, representing roughly 10 percent of the company’s 350,000-strong white-collar workforce.
Amazon Layoffs 2026: Culture Shift and AI Rebalance
Although Amazon has initially tied past layoffs to the explosive growth of Artificial Intelligence, Chief Executive Officer Andy Jassy recently made it clear that culture was the primary driver and the emphasis was on eliminating too much managerial bloat. The idea is to flatten out the organizational structure, get rid of layers of management, and let the company operate the way that a startup can.
Who Will Be Impacted?
The layoffs that will occur will be mainly in high-skill corporate posts, whereas frontline warehouse and logistics jobs may go well short. Following on from that, according to reports the most at risk businesses are:
| Division | Specific Roles Targeted |
| AWS (Amazon Web Services) | Legacy cloud maintenance, administrative support, and program management. |
| PXT (People Experience & Tech) | Internal HR teams, especially those involved in manual hiring and performance tracking. |
| Retail & Devices | Middle-level managers (L5 to L7) and e-commerce coordination teams. |
| Prime Video & Marketing | Administrative and administrative support staff. |
Timeline of Action and Assistance for Affected Staff
The cuts were followed by a previous decision to cut up 14,000 positions last October. The second phase of the cuts to approximately 16,000 is due to be undertaken with the 90 days grace for the previously notified candidates. Kick off: Potential to start as early as Tuesday, January 27, 2026.
Notification Process
Employees are also typically provided with a personal email alert before they receive notification and often locked out of company systems within minutes of receiving the announcement.
Severance & Support
Affected employees are usually provided with a 90 day window to look for internal roles. When a new role isn’t found, Amazon generally provides severance pay, outplacement services and extended health insurance benefits.
Note for Staff
Many people who work for companies such as Blind and Reddit on internal sites say their colleagues who are currently on Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs) would be one of the first to be notified of this situation.
A Strategic Move Toward Automation
And in the meantime, Amazon is spending over $100 billion on AI infrastructure as it decreases headcount. The company is shifting to "AI Agents" who do repetitive coding, debugging and office work a clear indication of a permanent change in how the tech behemoth handles their worldwide operations.
