Amazon cut around 250 jobs in its devices and services unit, adding to a year of steady layoffs. Reports put the publicly disclosed 2026 total at roughly 17,250 positions.
How the 2026 numbers add up for Amazon?
- January: Amazon announced about 16,000 corporate cuts. This followed 14,000 in October 2025, so the two rounds total about 30,000.
- Earlier this year: Media reported another round of fewer than 1,000 roles earlier this year. At that time, Amazon only called the number small.
- October: Reports about 1,000 job cuts earlier this month were doing the rounds, mainly in the stores unit. These cuts were reported to be mainly in retail.
- Today: About 250 devices and services roles.
Together, these come to about 17,250. Do not treat this as a definitive number. Amazon does not publish a running total, and smaller cuts may not be counted. RationalFX, which tracks tech layoffs, had put Amazon at 16,600 roles by June.
The AI memo behind the cuts
A day before the layoffs, Amazon published an internal September memo for its software engineers. It told them to use AI to solve real customer problems rather than chase usage numbers. The memo warned that token consumption, AI adoption rates and code changes do not necessarily signal productivity. It also said engineers who do not learn the technology risk being left behind.
Why Amazon says it is cutting
Amazon has linked the cuts to restructuring. Entrepreneur has reported that CEO Andy Jassy wants to remove unnecessary layers of management. Jassy also said in June 2025 that AI tools would likely lead to job cuts, as machines take over routine tasks. Jeff Bezos, the executive chairman, said in a Fox News interview that Amazon overhired during the pandemic.
The cuts come despite strong results. Amazon reported record revenue of $716.9 billion for 2025, up 12 percent. It has also flagged about $200 billion in capital spending for 2026, per Mediaweek via PPC Land.
