As the e-commerce behemoth implements generative artificial intelligence technologies and AI agents, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy told staff members on Wednesday that the business will be drastically cutting its corporate headcount in the upcoming years.
Jassy called generative AI “a once-in-a-lifetime technology” that will revolutionize the way the business functions in a statement to staff members. Employees should learn how to use AI technologies and “how to get more done with scrappier teams,” according to the CEO of one of the richest tech companies in the world.
In the message, Jassy stated, “We will need more people doing other types of jobs and fewer people doing some of the jobs that are being done today.” “It’s difficult to predict exactly where this will end up, but as we become more efficient with the widespread use of AI throughout the organization, we anticipate that this will result in a reduction in our overall corporate workforce in the coming years.”
Jassy’s email, which was sent to Amazon’s 1.5 million full-time and part-time workers as of the end of March, is viewed by experts as a prelude to the company’s upcoming layoffs. Tens of thousands of Amazon employees have already been let go in recent years. The corporation took off 27,000 workers in 2022, and this year has seen more layoffs.
One thing is evident from Jassy’s message: artificial intelligence will revolutionize the workforce as internet businesses like Amazon introduce AI capabilities to their employees and customers. The concealed message also suggests that white-collar employment are at danger, particularly at IT companies that rely on products. Due to AI-driven automation, which may render some positions obsolete, high-paying tech professions that once appeared secure are now in jeopardy.
AI could remove up to half of all entry-level white-collar occupations and drive unemployment to 10–20% in the next one to five years, according to Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, one of the top AI businesses. In recent days, Amodei’s direct warning has generated a variety of responses on the internet.
