Amazon announces its biggest layoffs in years: 30,000 people will lose their jobs in several countries, as the company accelerates automation and rolls out robots. A shock for the job market is becoming a reality.
Wave of layoffs at Amazon – where does this decision come from?
Amazon has just confirmed a plan to cut as many as 30,000 employees from its corporate departments – almost 10% of the company’s office workforce worldwide. The decision stems mainly from pressure to reduce costs after the pandemic and from the rapid expansion of automation.
For years the company employed huge numbers of people – not only in offices, but also in logistics and warehouses. Now, as artificial intelligence and automation move to the forefront, even tech giants are forced to restructure. As industry analysts point out, this is the biggest wave of layoffs since the high-profile cuts of 2022–2023.
Which countries and departments are most at risk?
Who will suffer the most?
The cuts mainly affect office (corporate) employees, such as specialists in technology, HR, project management and business operations. The hardest hit will be:
- HR departments (People Experience and Technology Group) – as many as 15% of positions may be eliminated
- Technology and devices (Devices & Services)
- Operations and logistics
- Communications, Alexa and podcasting
Geographic breakdown
According to Reuters and Forbes, the layoffs will affect primarily the United States – Amazon’s headquarters and the company’s main technology hubs. However, the restructuring will also cover Europe and selected offices in other countries – details are to be announced locally, depending on the department and country.
| Region | Estimated number of layoffs |
|---|---|
| USA | The largest share, up to 70-80% |
| Europe | A share of around a dozen percent |
| Other regions | A smaller scope |
Amazon plans to cut around 10% of its employees
~30,000 layoffs would be the biggest wave of layoffs at Amazon since 2022.
When will the layoffs start?
The layoffs at Amazon are set to begin as early as Tuesday, 28 October 2025. Employees in the affected departments will receive information by email the same morning, as confirmed independently by Reuters, CNBC and other industry media. According to reports, managers already completed special communication training on Monday about the layoffs and are prepared to share the news with their teams right after the announcement.
The decision to move quickly means that for thousands of people this change will become a reality practically overnight – which highlights the scale and dynamics of Amazon’s actions in the context of automation and cost cutting.
Why is Amazon betting on robotics?
Amazon announced several years ago that it would entrust a significant part of its office and warehouse tasks to artificial intelligence and robots. Leaks from internal documents point to a plan to replace as many as 600,000 jobs with robots by 2033 – and that is in the US alone.
An example? In a modern warehouse in Louisiana, 25% of the workforce is already made up of automated systems, and in Georgia the number of robots is set to double soon. Amazon claims that AI and machines will speed up deliveries, improve service quality and cut costs by as much as 12 billion dollars a year.
It is a bit like swapping horses for cars in the 19th century – an inevitable change, though painful for those who lose their jobs.
Is this just the beginning? What’s next for employees?
CEO Andy Jassy warned back in June that anyone who does not develop skills for working with AI would have to reckon with the risk of losing their position. Amazon, however, assures that it will continue to hire thousands of warehouse workers during the holiday season (around 250,000 seasonal positions in 2025). Severance and support programs for those being laid off are expected to be similar to those in previous years.
A symbol of change in the job market
The Amazon layoffs are not just a blow to 30,000 families around the world, but also a clear signal – technology companies will continue to automate, and jobs are constantly changing. For many people this trend is a challenge – it is time to develop new skills, because the age of robots is closer than we think.
