In one of its biggest workforce reductions yet, Amazon is set to cut more than 2,300 corporate jobs in its home state of Washington. The layoffs, which primarily target software engineers and management staff, were revealed in a filing with the Washington Employment Security Department (ESD). The action is part of a wider global restructuring that will affect around 14,000 employees across the company. It reflects the growing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in workplace operations and coding, reshaping how tech giants manage talent and costs, says a report in The Times of India.
According to the filing, Amazon plans to lay off 2,303 corporate employees in Washington between January and May 2026. Most of these positions are based in Seattle and Bellevue, home to Amazon’s main offices. The cuts will happen in several phases, on January 26, January 30, February 5, February 25, February 27, March 19, April 1, April 26, and May 26, 2026. Amazon has promised to give employees at least 90 days’ notice, longer than the 60 days required by federal law.
The report shows that software development engineers represent the largest group affected, with more than 600 positions being eliminated, over a quarter of the total job losses in Washington. This group’s reduction highlights how automation and AI tools are beginning to change traditional software roles. Amazon has been developing and using its own coding assistant tools, including “Kiro”, launched in July 2025, and has also been exploring Cursor AI, which can assist employees with coding tasks. The layoffs among engineers mirror trends seen at other major companies like Microsoft, which also reduced technical roles earlier this year.
Experts believe that with AI taking on more routine coding and testing tasks, tech firms are shifting their human workforce toward managing and improving AI systems rather than writing every line of code.
More than 500 management roles are also being eliminated as Amazon continues to 'trim bureaucracy' to become more efficient. Departments like recruiting, human resources, marketing, advertising, and legal are also affected. The biggest single location hit is Amazon’s SEA40 Doppler building on Seattle’s 7th Avenue, where 361 jobs will be lost, according to the state filing.
Amazon’s formal letter to Washington’s Employment Security Department was issued under the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) and the Washington Securing Timely Notification and Benefits for Laid-Off Employees Act. The company said the job cuts are permanent and not linked to any relocation or outsourcing of operations. Employees will receive all wages and benefits through their separation date, and those who find internal roles before that date can avoid termination. The letter adds that Amazon will provide information about severance and benefits separately to eligible workers before their final working day. The company clarified that no “bumping rights” exist, meaning affected workers cannot replace others based on seniority. Amazon also stated that none of the affected employees are represented by a union or collective bargaining group. The company has assured the department that employee data will remain confidential to protect privacy.
The WARN filing lays out a detailed timeline for when separations will begin, stretching from January to May 2026. Amazon said it does not plan to issue repeated updates, preferring to give one comprehensive notice now. However, the company said it is open to sharing additional details if the department requests further information. Affected employees will also receive the Employment Security Department’s contact information to help them with jobless claims and retraining options.
This filing is part of a larger worldwide downsizing, which includes about 14,000 job cuts globally. Amazon’s HR Chief, Beth Galetti, said in a message to staff that AI is “the most transformative technology we’ve seen since the Internet.” She added that the technology allows teams to “innovate much faster than ever before,” which has changed how the company structures its workforce. Recent reports by The Wall Street Journal and Axios have described this as part of a national wave of 'AI-driven layoffs', as businesses across sectors integrate automated tools to increase productivity and reduce costs.
The decision to scale back on engineers reflects how AI-powered development tools are reshaping the technology industry. Amazon, Microsoft, and other large firms are using AI systems to generate and review code more efficiently, reducing the need for large human teams. Industry analysts say these shifts could redefine how future software jobs look. Rather than focusing on coding line by line, engineers may increasingly supervise AI models, verify their accuracy, and handle higher-level system design.
Washington state, especially Seattle, long seen as the heart of America’s cloud and e-commerce innovation, has already faced multiple rounds of layoffs since early 2024. Microsoft, Meta, and smaller startups have also cut staff amid slowing growth and AI investments. For Amazon, these cuts mark another major wave of change. The company had already reduced more than 27,000 corporate positions between 2023 and 2024, citing overlapping roles and slowing retail expansion. Despite this, Amazon continues to hire in select areas, particularly in AI, robotics, logistics technology, and data security. This shift shows that while traditional roles are shrinking, the demand for specialists in emerging technologies remains strong.
In its communication to employees and authorities, Amazon emphasised that it is 'providing notices that are helpful rather than inundating' and aims to 'support affected employees through this process'. The company maintained that all separations are being handled carefully, with legal notice requirements met and privacy protections in place. While Amazon has not disclosed exactly how many more layoffs may occur in other states, reports suggest that similar notices will be filed in California, New York, and Texas in the coming weeks.
