Amazon has confirmed it is cutting about 16,000 corporate jobs, after an internal message about the layoffs was accidentally sent to employees ahead of the planned announcement, triggering confusion across parts of the company.
The reductions follow a previous round of roughly 14,000 corporate job cuts announced in October, making this the second major wave in about three months.
According to reporting, some staff received an internal note tied to an initiative referred to as “Project Dawn,” and in at least some cases the message was quickly pulled back or followed by a cancellation, suggesting it was sent prematurely.
Amazon has framed the move as part of a broader effort to remove layers, reduce bureaucracy and improve efficiency, including increasing the use of generative AI to automate parts of corporate work.
For US-based employees impacted, the company is offering a window to seek other roles internally before severance and transition support apply — reported as 90 days.
The cuts land as Amazon continues to report strong financial results, with AP noting the company recently posted a sharp increase in profit, reinforcing that the layoffs are being presented as restructuring rather than a response to immediate financial stress