Amazon, a multinational technology company is going through its biggest round of layoffs ever and engineers are feeling the brunt of it. Fresh data reported by CNBC shows that in states like New York, California, New Jersey and Washington, nearly 40 per cent of the 4,700 confirmed job cuts involve engineering roles. And that’s only a portion of the more than 14,000 layoffs Amazon announced last month, with more details still emerging from other states.
The latest figures show that even as companies like Amazon post hefty profits and build up record cash reserves, they are still joining the long list of tech firms announcing mass layoffs. To date, over 113,000 jobs have been cut across more than 230 tech companies this year. State-level filings in places like New York, California, New Jersey and Washington reveal that engineering roles have been especially hard hit.
Engineering Jobs Hit the Hardest
CNBC reports that out of the 4,700 layoffs confirmed in those states so far, nearly 40 per cent involve engineering roles based on data Amazon submitted through WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification) filings. Since not all states share detailed numbers, these figures reveal only a portion of the total cuts. The layoffs come as CEO Andy Jassy continues his drive to reshape Amazon’s internal culture and streamline operations.
The company had explained “Some may ask why we’re reducing roles when the company is performing well. Across our businesses, we’re delivering great customer experiences every day, innovating at a rapid rate, and producing strong business results. What we need to remember is that the world is changing quickly. This generation of AI is the most transformative technology we’ve seen since the Internet, and it’s enabling companies to innovate much faster than ever before (in existing market segments and altogether new ones),”.
Push for a Leaner, AI-Driven Future
Amazon is doubling down on artificial intelligence as it reshapes its workforce. CEO Andy Jassy had already warned earlier this year that generative AI would lead to a significant reduction in corporate roles over the coming years. He also revealed in June that Amazon has more than 1,000 generative AI tools and applications in development or already launched.
“We’re convicted that we need to be organized more leanly, with fewer layers and more ownership, to move as quickly as possible for our customers and business,” Amazon added last month.
