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After the latest round of layoffs in October, 2025, the tech giant continues its cost-cutting drive amid slowing growth and shifting business priorities Amazon’s latest wave of layoffs, nearly 14,000 corporate jobs, has ignited controversy after CEO Andy Jassy insisted the move isn’t about cost-cutting or artificial intelligence, but “culture.”On Amazon’s quarterly earnings call, Jassy explained that the cuts are part of a mission to make the company “leaner, flatter, and faster,” echoing the startup mentality championed by Jeff Bezos. “It’s not financially driven, and it’s not AI-driven, not right now, at least,” Jassy said. “Really, it’s culture.”The statement comes amid reports that Amazon could eventually eliminate as many as 30,000 roles, making this potentially the largest workforce reduction in the company’s history. While Jassy framed the move as a “cultural reboot,” many observers see it differently. Critics argue that Amazon’s massive investment in AI, automation, and logistics infrastructure suggests that technology is indeed replacing human workers, just not openly acknowledged yet.Also read: Amazon layoffs 2025: Why 14,000 jobs are being cut, which Amazon divisions areJassy, who succeeded Bezos in 2021, has long emphasized a “two-way door” philosophy, allowing employees to make quick, reversible decisions. But he says Amazon has become bogged down by layers of management and bureaucracy. “We’re operating too slowly,” he said. “We need to move at the speed of change.”Live EventsThe layoffs, Jassy argues, are designed to restore that lost agility and empower employees who remain. “We’re committed to operating like the world’s largest startup,” he declared, a statement that has since drawn widespread criticism online.Social media quickly erupted with backlash, with employees and tech analysts calling the “culture” explanation tone-deaf. Many accused Amazon of hiding behind rhetoric while quietly using AI-driven restructuring to reshape its workforce.Jassy’s insistence that the layoffs aren’t financially or AI-motivated appears aimed at calming investors and employees alike. However, the timing of these comments, coinciding with Amazon’s expanding AI initiatives across logistics and retail, has raised questions about transparency.Still, Jassy insists the goal isn’t replacement, but renewal. “Given the transformation happening across business and technology, it’s more important than ever to be lean, flat, and fast-moving,” he told analysts.For thousands of Amazon employees, however, that cultural shift comes with a heavy price, and for critics, it’s a reminder that even the world’s biggest companies can’t spin away the human cost of “efficiency.”Add as a Reliable and Trusted News Source Add Now! (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel) Read More News onAmazon layoffs 2025Amazon workforce reductionAndy Jassy comments layoffsAI impact on jobsAmazon AI initiatives (Catch all the US News, UK News, Canada News, International Breaking News Events, and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.) Download The Economic Times News App to get Daily International News Updates....moreless (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)Read More News onAmazon layoffs 2025Amazon workforce reductionAndy Jassy comments layoffsAI impact on jobsAmazon AI initiatives(Catch all the US News, UK News, Canada News, International Breaking News Events, and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.) Download The Economic Times News App to get Daily International News Updates....moreless Explore More Stories123
