Amazon.com trims nearly 30,000 corporate roles, streamlines layers and accelerates AI

Amazon pares corporate layers while ploughing into AI

Amazon.com is carrying out a sweeping corporate restructuring that trims dozens of New York staff and tens of thousands of corporate roles nationwide as it retools operations and accelerates its artificial‑intelligence strategy. Recent state filings and sources show about 135 employees at the 1440 Broadway Manhattan office are cut in January, along with more than 100 additional New York roles, as part of a broader plan announced to eliminate roughly 16,000 positions. Those reductions follow an October reorganisation that removed about 14,000 corporate roles, bringing total recent corporate cuts to roughly 30,000 — nearly 10% of Amazon’s corporate workforce though a small portion of its roughly 1.58 million global employees.

Company executives frame the moves as streamlining rather than simple cost‑cutting, saying the aim is to reduce layers, increase ownership and remove bureaucracy while maintaining heavy investment in AI. Human resources chief Beth Galetti is quoted as saying the firm does not intend to pare back in repeated waves and acknowledges that new technology will create roles even as automation and efficiency reduce headcount in other areas. Chief Executive Andy Jassy signals the company is balancing workforce changes with service expansion, including moves such as rolling out same‑day prescription delivery for Amazon Pharmacy to thousands of U.S. cities.

The reshuffle intensifies operational and reputational scrutiny as Amazon shifts resources toward AI and logistics. Analysts and employees say the scale of corporate reductions marks the biggest workforce change in Amazon’s history and raises questions about morale, knowledge retention and the pace at which teams are asked to adopt new AI tools. Management stresses that most of Amazon’s employees remain hourly warehouse and fulfillment workers, and says the overhaul is intended to improve decision‑making speed and customer focus even as it prepares for substantial AI spending and future growth initiatives.

Court ruling heightens legal exposure for marketplace

A unanimous Washington Supreme Court decision sends a signal to large online marketplaces by allowing wrongful‑death and negligence claims over sodium nitrite purchases to proceed to trial. The ruling requires Amazon to defend venue and policies in lower courts, increasing potential legal and regulatory pressure on how marketplaces vet sellers, moderate listings and flag hazardous products.

Brands lean on Amazon for reach and logistics

Retail partnerships continue to evolve as brands treat Amazon increasingly as a distribution and fulfillment partner. Bath & Body Works launches an authorised storefront on Amazon to regain control over pricing and customer experience while leveraging Prime‑eligible shipping, reflecting a broader trend of brands using marketplace access to extend reach without ceding brand standards.