Amazon Confirms 16,000 Layoffs Following Accidental Email Leak

Amazon has confirmed it’s cutting 16,000 jobs worldwide, roughly 1% of its global workforce, as part of efforts to streamline operations and boost efficiency. The move follows an accidental internal email sent to staff, revealing the planned layoffs before official announcements were made.

The job cuts affect various teams, including Amazon Web Services (AWS), retail, and corporate roles, with employees in the US, UK, and India impacted. Affected staff will receive 90 days of pay and benefits, and can apply for internal roles or severance packages.

This is Amazon’s second major layoff in three months, following 14,000 job cuts in October 2025. CEO Andy Jassy aims to reduce bureaucracy and increase ownership, investing in AI and cloud infrastructure.