Amazon cuts 16,000 corporate jobs as AI shakes things up
Amazon is letting go of about 16,000 corporate employees—nearly 1 in 10—just months after a previous round of 14,000 layoffs.
The move is part of Amazon's effort to reduce layers, increase ownership, and remove bureaucracy as it adapts to new AI technologies changing how the company operates.
What happens to those laid off?
Most U.S.-based employees whose roles are affected will be offered a 90-day window during which they will receive full pay and benefits to look for other roles within Amazon, followed by transition support that can include severance pay and outplacement services, subject to conditions and required paperwork.
International workers will see similar support based on local rules.
Even with these cuts, Amazon says it'll keep hiring for key areas.
Local Seattle spots feel the pinch
Restaurants near Amazon offices in downtown Seattle are bracing for slower days without the usual lunch crowd.
Kathmandu MoMoCha, where Amazon employees make up a large share of lunchtime customers, is already preparing for fewer regulars stopping by.