Highlights:
- Amazon layoffs 2026 have continued into May, with the newest cuts hitting the company’s Selling Partner Services team.
- Reuters reported that Amazon had already aimed to trim as many as 30,000 corporate jobs from October 2025 onward.
- Amazon confirmed 16,000 corporate job cuts in January 2026.
- Amazon maintains its hiring process for essential technology positions despite ongoing staff reductions. The company intends to hire approximately 11000 engineers and software developers and interns throughout 2026 to support its operations in artificial intelligence and cloud computing and advanced engineering fields.
Key Facts:
Point | What is known |
Latest round | Small layoffs in Selling Partner Services in May 2026. |
January cuts | Amazon said about 16,000 roles were affected. |
Earlier target | Reuters reported a plan for up to 30,000 corporate job cuts beginning in late October 2025. |
Reason given | Amazon pointed to fewer layers, more ownership, and less bureaucracy. |
Support for staff | U.S.-based workers get 90 days to find another role internally, plus severance and other support where applicable. |
Overview:
The latest Amazon layoffs in 2026 story is not about one isolated cut. It shows a company that is still reshaping itself after a long stretch of heavy hiring, shifting priorities, and larger bets on automation and AI. Amazon’s newest round is smaller than the January wave, but it keeps the pressure on workers across its corporate side.
The newest Amazon job cuts 2026 affect Selling Partner Services, the unit that helps third-party sellers with onboarding, logistics, and account support. That is an important part of Amazon’s marketplace business, so even a small cut there tells a bigger story about how the company wants to run leaner.
Amazon laid off about 16,000 corporate employees in January 2026. Before that, Reuters reported the company had targeted as many as 30,000 corporate job cuts starting in October 2025. Reuters later said Amazon had completed a plan for around 30,000 cuts since October, making it the largest layoff wave in the company’s history.
The company has framed these Amazon corporate layoffs as part of an effort to reduce layers, increase ownership, and remove bureaucracy. Beth Galetti, Amazon’s senior vice president of People Experience and Technology, also said the company would keep hiring in strategic areas and support affected workers with transfer time, severance, health benefits, and job placement help.
The AI angle matters too. Reuters reported that Amazon has linked earlier job cuts to the rise of AI tools, which can handle routine work faster and with fewer people. That does not explain every layoff on its own, but it does help explain why the company keeps trimming some teams while investing heavily elsewhere.
For readers tracking Amazon layoffs 2026, the main takeaway is simple. The cuts are continuing, the company is still adjusting after overexpansion, and the pressure is now spread across more than one part of the business. The latest round may be small, but it sits inside a much bigger reset.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Amazon laying off workers in 2026?
Amazon says it is trying to reduce layers, improve ownership, and cut bureaucracy while still hiring in strategic areas. Reuters also tied the broader move to AI adoption and the company’s effort to correct earlier overhiring.
Which teams are affected by Amazon layoffs 2026?
The latest round hit Selling Partner Services. Earlier reporting showed cuts across corporate functions including HR, operations, devices, services, AWS, and other teams.
How many jobs have been cut in Amazon job cuts 2026 so far?
Amazon said 16,000 roles were cut in January 2026. Reuters had earlier reported a target of as many as 30,000 corporate cuts since October 2025, and the newest round adds another smaller reduction.
What support is Amazon giving affected employees?
Amazon said most U.S.-based employees have 90 days to find another internal role. It also said it will provide severance, outplacement support, and health insurance benefits where applicable.
Takeaways:
- Amazon layoffs 2026 are still unfolding, not ending.
- The latest cuts are small, but they add to a much larger corporate reset.
- Amazon is cutting staff while continuing to spend on AI and strategic growth areas.
