Amazon, one of the world’s largest e-commerce and cloud computing companies, is preparing to lay off up to 15 per cent of its human resources employees, a move confirmed by multiple reports on October 15, 2025. The news of the layoffs came on the heels of Amazon’s shift toward automation and artificial intelligence (AI), which the company views as key to its future growth.
The HR division, known as the People eXperience Technology (PXT) team, comprises over 10,000 employees worldwide. Ironically, this very team manages hiring, layoffs, payroll, and employee experience, including recruiters and administrative staff.
Although the cuts will primarily affect this division, additional layoffs in Amazon’s consumer business units are also expected.
AI, the grim reaper of jobs
CEO Andy Jassy, who took over from Jeff Bezos in 2021, has indicated that Amazon will increasingly rely on AI technologies, investing over $100 billion this year to build AI data centres and cloud facilities worldwide. These investments aim to boost efficiency but also mean fewer traditional jobs, especially in corporate offices.
This wave of layoffs follows a previous round between 2022 and 2023 when Amazon cut about 27,000 jobs. The current layoffs are seen as a continuation of that cost restructuring, driven by AI adoption rather than pandemic impacts.
Impact on Indian employees
India is a key market and talent hub for Amazon, home to a substantial portion of its global workforce, especially in tech, support, and—yes—HR roles.
While specific figures are yet to be disclosed by Amazon India, it is likely that Indian employees, particularly those in HR and corporate roles, may be impacted by these cuts. This aligns with reports of global reductions focused on headquarters and central functions.
The latest restructuring is clearly part of a broader cost-cutting and efficiency drive related to Amazon’s aggressive investment in AI and cloud infrastructure—areas in which India has recently ramped up data centre capabilities.