U.S. online retail giant Amazon announced on Tuesday that it will cut 14,000 jobs globally as part of efforts to streamline operations and boost investment in artificial intelligence, though it did not specify which regions would be affected.
Amazon said in a statement that the reductions were a “continuation” of its efforts to get even stronger by further reducing bureaucracy, removing layers, and shifting resources to ensure we’re investing in our biggest bets and what matters most to our customers’ current and future needs.”
“While this will include reducing in some areas and hiring in others, it will mean an overall reduction in our corporate workforce of approximately 14,000 roles,” said the statement on its corporate website, which was signed by senior vice-president Beth Galetti.
Galetti called AI “the most transformative technology we’ve seen since the Internet,” adding that “it’s enabling companies to innovate much faster than ever before.”
On Monday, American media reported that large-scale layoffs were on the way at the online retailer, citing a worldwide total of 30,000 job cuts over several months.
According to the reports, the cuts would target areas such as human resources, advertising, and management in a group that has 350,000 office positions, out of a total of more than 1.5 million employees.
Galetti indicated that Tuesday’s job cuts are just a first step.
“Looking ahead to 2026, we expect to continue hiring in key strategic areas while also finding additional places we can remove layers, increase ownership, and realise efficiency gains,” she said.
AFP
