Archive · 8 Oct 2026
Amazon Cuts Nearly 1,000 Jobs Amid $220 Billion AI Investment
Amazon has cut nearly 1,000 office jobs in India, the United States and the United Kingdom.
Many of the affected workers were in teams that support Amazon’s online stores.
The company said it made the changes to focus on its business priorities.
This is after a much larger round of job cuts that began last year and continued into January.
Amazon says it plans to spend $220 billion on computers, chips and other equipment for artificial intelligence and cloud services.
Some recruiters have also contacted former Amazon employees about new jobs in AI, machine learning and cloud computing.
Amazon says it considers former employees when suitable openings are available.
The company has not said the latest cuts were caused by its AI investment.
Amazon cut nearly 1,000 white-collar jobs across India, the United States and the United Kingdom, mainly in its Stores division.
The changes affected teams including customer service and selling partner services as Amazon restructures retail operations.
Amazon said the changes are intended to help the company focus on its business priorities.
The layoffs follow a prior reduction of more than 30,000 jobs that began last year and continued into January.
Amazon plans a record $220 billion in spending on data centres, semiconductors and other AI and cloud infrastructure, while recruiters have contacted some former employees about roles.
- Who
- Amazon and nearly 1,000 white-collar employees across India, the United States and the United Kingdom.
- What
- Amazon cut jobs mainly in its Stores division as part of a restructuring of retail operations.
- When
- The cuts coincided with Amazon's two-day Prime Big Deal Days event, which began on Tuesday; the articles do not specify the calendar date.
- Where
- India, the United States and the United Kingdom.
- Why
- Amazon said the organisational changes would help it focus on business priorities.
Amazon’s explanation
Employee uncertainty
Purpose of the restructuring
Amazon’s explanation
Amazon said organisational changes would help it focus on business priorities and align its Stores business with current needs.
Employee uncertainty
Employees faced uncertainty about possible further cuts, with internal discussions addressing severance, medical leave, internal job postings and opportunities for other roles.
Rehiring former employees
Amazon’s explanation
Amazon spokeswoman Haley Silva said considering former employees for current vacancies is an established companywide practice.
Employee uncertainty
The articles report that recruiters contacted some former employees, including people previously laid off, about openings in AI, machine learning and cloud computing; the outreach does not mean those workers have secured roles.
- Latest cuts
- Nearly 1,000 white-collar jobs across India, the United States and the United Kingdom.
- Main division affected
- Stores, including teams in customer service and selling partner services.
- Company explanation
- Amazon said the changes would help it focus on business priorities.
- Earlier reductions
- More than 30,000 jobs were cut in a previous round that began last year and continued into January.
- Planned investment
- $220 billion for data centres, semiconductors and other infrastructure supporting AI and cloud computing.
- Former-employee recruitment
- Recruiters contacted some former employees about openings in AI, machine learning and cloud computing; Amazon said this is an established companywide practice.
- Recruitment initiative
- An AI agent organisation led by AWS Vice-President Swami Sivasubramanian contacted former employees in August under an initiative called “Swami's Boomerang Reengagement Initiative.”
