Amazon has announced a new round of job cuts, continuing its trend of workforce reductions as the company shifts its focus more towards artificial intelligence and automation. The latest layoffs, including subsidiaries like Goodreads and Kindle, impact its books division. Fewer than 100 employees were affected in this round. A company spokesperson stated that the layoffs are intended to “enhance operational efficiency and refine processes” within the division.
This is not an isolated incident. Amazon has gradually reduced its workforce in recent years, particularly in its devices and services sector, the Wondery podcast team, and various roles within its stores and communications departments. These layoffs are part of a broader initiative led by CEO Andy Jassy to reduce internal bureaucracy and streamline operations. As of 2025, this effort has eliminated approximately 14,000 managerial-level positions across the organization.
The driving force behind these changes is the accelerated rollout of artificial intelligence (AI) throughout Amazon’s operations. In recent memos to staff, Jassy confirmed that as generative AI tools become more integrated into workflows, the need for traditional job roles will diminish. According to Jassy, this is not a temporary strategy, but a long-term shift as Amazon invests heavily in AI to “transform the way we work,” Fortune reported.
“We will need fewer people doing some of the jobs that are being done today, and more people doing other types of jobs,” Jassy said in a memo to the Amazon workforce.
More than a thousand AI services are now operational or in development at Amazon, aimed at customer service, software development, voice assistants like Alexa, and internal coordination areas, now facing the steepest job reductions.
Amazon’s retrenchment follows an aggressive hiring spree during the pandemic when the company nearly doubled its workforce. However, as growth slowed after the pandemic and economic pressures increased, the company shifted its focus toward efficiency through automation.
Amazon employees. Photo credit: Amazon/Facebook.
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