The BareStory
Amazon announced on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, that it will lay off approximately 16,000 corporate employees. This marks the company's second major round of job cuts recently, following the elimination of 14,000 positions in October. The combined reductions bring the total number of corporate and technology roles cut since last fall to roughly 30,000.
In a message shared with staff, Senior Vice President Beth Galetti explained that the cuts are part of an initiative to strengthen the organization by removing layers of management and bureaucracy. Galetti addressed internal concerns regarding job security, stating that the company does not plan for such broad layoffs to become a regular occurrence, though individual teams will continue to evaluate their structures.
The reductions reportedly represent about 10% of Amazon’s corporate and technology workforce. Affected employees based in the United States will be granted a 90-day window to find alternative positions within the company. Those who do not secure new roles will be offered severance packages, health insurance benefits, and outplacement services.
This workforce reduction aligns with broader cost-cutting measures and a strategic pivot within the company. On Tuesday, Amazon confirmed it would close its Fresh grocery and cashierless Go convenience stores. Leadership has indicated that savings from these efficiency measures are intended to fund significant investments in artificial intelligence and data centers.
How it may affect me
As a U.S. reader:
You will need to find alternative shopping options for groceries and convenience items as Amazon permanently closes its Fresh grocery stores and cashierless Go locations.
You may see a shift in Amazon services toward artificial intelligence capabilities, as the company redirects savings from cuts into significant investments in data centers and AI.
The technology labor market could see an increase in job seekers as 16,000 corporate roles are eliminated, though affected U.S. staff have 90 days to find internal positions.
