Amazon CEO Andy Jassy: AI Will Replace Jobs at the Tech Giant in Coming Years
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy has warned employees that artificial intelligence (AI) will lead to a reduction in corporate workforce at the company in the coming years. In a memo to staff shared on Tuesday, Jassy said AI will drive significant efficiency gains, resulting in fewer traditional roles and a reshaped job landscape across the global tech giant.
The internal message comes as Amazon, along with other major technology firms, increasingly turns to AI to streamline operations, optimize customer experiences, and develop new products.
We will need fewer people doing some of the jobs that are being done today, and more people doing other types of jobs, Jassy wrote. In the next few years, we expect this will reduce our total corporate workforce.
AI Adoption Accelerating Across Amazon
Jassy emphasized that AI is now being implemented in virtually every corner of the company, from retail operations and advertising to logistics and cloud computing. He acknowledged that many AI tools and agents are still under development but predicted they will rapidly become integral to Amazon’s daily functions.
He encouraged employees to be curious about AI and adapt to the evolving landscape, assuring that those who do so will be well-positioned within the company’s future structure.
A Broader Industry Shift
Amazon is among many tech companies accelerating AI adoption. AI models like chatbots and large language models are now capable of generating code, images, and written content with minimal input. These advances, while boosting productivity, are also raising widespread fears of automation-driven job losses.
Dario Amodei, CEO of AI firm Anthropic, recently warned that half of all entry-level white-collar jobs could be wiped out by AI. Geoffrey Hinton, dubbed the Godfather of AI, echoed similar concerns, questioning the ability of the economy to create enough new roles to offset widespread displacement.
If it can do all mundane human intellectual labor, then what new jobs is it going to create Hinton said.
Amazon's Workforce at a Glance
As of the end of 2024, Amazon employed more than 1.5 million people globally, making it the second-largest private employer in the U.S. after Walmart. While the majority work in e-commerce and logistics, roughly 350,000 staff serve in office and corporate roles—many of which are now likely to be impacted by the company’s AI-driven transition.
Already, over 500,000 sellers on Amazon’s platforms use the company's AI tools to generate product listings and content. Advertisers, too, are increasingly adopting AI for campaign management and optimization.
The Future of Work at Amazon
The memo signals a pivotal shift in how Amazon envisions its workforce in the AI era. With automation set to take over routine tasks like online shopping assistance and logistics optimization, employees are being advised to reskill and prepare for entirely new categories of work many of which may not yet exist.
Many of these agents have yet to be built, but make no mistake, they’re coming and coming fast, Jassy wrote.
As the AI transformation continues, Amazon joins a growing list of global firms grappling with how to balance technological advancement with human employment.