Amazon's 30,000 Layoffs: The Email That Landed This Morning and What Every Corporate Worker Needs to Know

30,000 Amazon employees woke up to layoff emails today—the largest cuts in company history. But the real story isn't just Amazon. It's what's coming for everyone else.

The Email That Changed Everything

October 28, 2025, 7:42 AM PST

Thousands of Amazon corporate employees opened their inboxes to find an email with a subject line no one ever wants to see.

No warning. No meeting. No chance to prepare.

Just an email.

"Your position has been eliminated."

Up to 30,000 people. Nearly 10% of Amazon's entire corporate workforce. The largest single round of layoffs in the company's 31-year history.

And it's not just Amazon.

This is the canary in the coal mine for corporate America.

•••

The Numbers That Matter

Let's cut through the corporate speak and look at what actually happened:

The Scale

30,000 corporate jobs eliminated starting October 28, 2025
10% of Amazon's 350,000 corporate employees gone overnight
Largest tech layoff of 2025 by far
Surpasses Amazon's previous record: 27,000 cuts in 2022-2023

Who Got Hit

According to multiple reports from Bloomberg, Reuters, and CNBC:

Amazon Web Services (AWS): Hundreds cut from marketing, analytics, training
Human Resources (PXT team): Up to 15% eliminated—potentially 1,500+ roles
Logistics: Operations and supply chain teams
Payments division: Payment processing and fintech teams
Gaming: Amazon Games and streaming services
Prime Video & Studios: Content and production staff

The Timeline

October 14, 2025: Fortune breaks news of upcoming HR cuts
October 27, 2025: Reuters reports 30K number; Bloomberg confirms
October 28, 2025: Emails start going out at 7:00 AM
November 2025: Additional waves expected

This isn't a rumor. It's happening right now.

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What Amazon Isn't Saying (But Everyone Knows)

Amazon's official statement is textbook corporate deflection:

"After a thorough review of our organization and priorities, we've made the difficult decision to eliminate some roles. We're committed to supporting affected employees through their transition."

Notice what's missing?

No mention of AI
No mention of automation
No acknowledgment that they're replacing humans with algorithms

But let's look at what CEO Andy Jassy actually said in June 2025:

"We will need fewer people doing some of the jobs that are being done today, and more people doing other types of jobs. We expect that this will reduce our total corporate workforce as we get efficiency gains from using AI extensively across the company."

Translation: AI is replacing you. We're just not saying it out loud.

•••

The Real Story: AI Is Eating Corporate Jobs

Here's what Amazon is actually doing while laying off 30,000 people:

They're Spending $100 Billion on AI

Capital expenditures jumped from $83 billion (2024) to over $100 billion (2025)
Most of it going to AI infrastructure in AWS
Building data centers, training AI models, developing automation tools

They're Automating Everything

According to internal documents obtained by The New York Times:

Amazon plans to automate 75% of warehouse operations by 2033
Expected to avoid hiring 600,000+ workers even as sales grow
AI now handles: resume screening, performance reviews, employee queries, scheduling, benefits management

The Jobs AI Is Taking First

From former AWS employee (speaking to The Register):

"Decisions were based largely on titles and high-level optics rather than understanding of actual roles. AWS is committed to adopting generative AI as a way to streamline operations and reduce headcount."

They called the process "cold and soulless."

Because it was.

•••

The Pattern Everyone Should See

Amazon didn't wake up on October 27 and decide to cut 30,000 jobs.

This has been building for years:

2019-2021: The Explosion

Hired aggressively during pandemic
Workforce grew from 798,000 (2019) to 1.6 million (2021)
Corporate headcount tripled from 2017 to 2022

2022-2023: The First Wave

Eliminated 27,000 corporate roles
CEO Andy Jassy takes over, starts "flattening" organization
Targets middle management: wants 15% increase in individual contributors vs. managers

2024-2025: The AI Wave

Rolling layoffs all year: AWS, Devices, Wondery podcasts, HR
Cuts 14,000 managerial positions to save $2.1-3.6 billion annually
Invests heavily in AI while shrinking human workforce

October 2025: The Reckoning

30,000 jobs eliminated in one day
Employees on "pins and needles" waiting for the email
More cuts expected before year-end

The pattern is clear: Hire humans during growth. Replace them with AI during "optimization."**

•••

The Three Types of Employees Today

Type 1: The Shocked

"I thought my job was safe. I've been here 8 years. My reviews were always good."

The Shocked believed tenure and performance mattered. They thought loyalty was rewarded.

They were wrong.

When Amazon can automate your role with AI for 90% less cost, your 8 years don't matter. Your performance reviews don't matter.

Only one thing matters: Can a machine do what you do?

Type 2: The Relieved (For Now)

"Thank god I wasn't in HR or AWS. I think I'm safe for now."

The Relieved checked their title against the list of affected departments. They didn't get the email. They exhaled.

But here's the truth: This is just round one.

Amazon cut 27,000 jobs in 2022-2023. Then another 14,000 managers. Now 30,000 more.

When do you think they'll stop?

Type 3: The Prepared

"I saw this coming. I've been updating my resume. Building my network. I have a backup plan."

The Prepared didn't wait for the email. They read the signals:

CEO talking about AI efficiency gains
Massive AI infrastructure spending
Previous rounds of layoffs
Forced return-to-office policies

They knew the question wasn't if. It was when.

And they prepared.

Which type are you?

•••

What the Amazon Engineer Posted on LinkedIn

Yesterday, a Google engineer (Sakshi Chhabra) posted what thousands are feeling:

"Amazon to lay off 10% of its workforce starting tomorrow!! 😔

When my last company laid off half my team, I went through a mix of emotions. Even though I wasn't laid off, seeing all my talented friends and co-workers losing their jobs was gut-wrenching. I'd seen them spend nights and weekends building resilient, maintainable services.

The sadness was quickly followed by guilt—why them, not me?

It took days before I could feel better 😥

This time, I don't want to just sit and watch. I want to help.

I'm open to referrals, mock interviews, interview prep guidance, and if my org is hiring (checking on that), I can forward your resume to the hiring manager 🤞

If you've been impacted by layoff, comment or DM me—tell me how I can support you.

And to everyone who's hiring or open to referring—drop your company name and role below. Let's make this thread a safe space for opportunity ❤️"

The post went viral.

Because everyone sees what's happening.

The AI wave isn't coming. It's here.

•••

The Jobs AI Is Taking First (And What That Means for You)

Let's be specific about which roles are disappearing:

1. Middle Management (13% Reduction)

Why: AI can now track team performance, assign tasks, manage workflows

Example: Amazon uses ML models to predict attrition risk, surface talent, and streamline decision-making—tasks that used to require multiple layers of managers

2. Human Resources (15% Reduction in PXT)

Why: Resume screening, candidate scheduling, onboarding, performance analytics—all automatable

Example: Amazon's AI can screen thousands of resumes in seconds, identifying keyword matches and predicting candidate fit better than most recruiters

3. Marketing & Analytics (Hundreds Cut from AWS)

Why: AI generates content, analyzes campaign performance, optimizes ad spend

Example: One former AWS employee said Amazon is "transitioning to Adobe Managed Services" for marketing—outsourcing what used to be done internally

4. Data Analysis & Reporting

Why: Generative AI can pull data, create visualizations, write reports

Example: Amazon claims internal developers saved 450,000+ hours using AI for technical investigations

5. Customer Support & Operations

Why: Chatbots, automated routing, self-service portals

Example: Salesforce cut 4,000 customer support roles citing AI adoption

The pattern: If your job involves repetitive tasks, data processing, or can be broken into predictable steps—you're at risk.**

•••

The Uncomfortable Question No One Wants to Answer

If Amazon can replace 30,000 corporate employees with AI, what's stopping your company from doing the same?

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

Amazon isn't unique. They're just first.

The rest of 2025:

Microsoft: 15,000 layoffs
Meta: 600+ AI unit cuts (plus earlier rounds)
Google: 100+ cloud design roles
Intel: 22,000 positions
Salesforce: 4,000 customer support jobs

Total tech layoffs in 2025: Over 120,000 and counting (Layoffs.fyi)

Every single one of these companies is simultaneously:

Cutting jobs
Investing billions in AI
Telling investors they're "improving efficiency"

Translation: Replacing expensive humans with cheap AI.

•••

What to Do If You Work for a Tech Company (Or Any Large Corporation)

Here's the reality check you need:

Step 1: Assume You're Next

I don't care if you just got promoted. I don't care if your boss loves you. I don't care if you've been there 15 years.

If your role can be automated, it eventually will be.

Act accordingly.

Step 2: Audit Your Role for AI Vulnerability

Ask yourself:

Could an AI tool do 70%+ of my work?
Are my tasks repetitive or rule-based?
Do I primarily process information others created?
Could I be replaced by a combination of AI + one junior person?

If you answered yes to any of these: You're on the list. Start preparing now.

Step 3: Update Your Resume TODAY

Not next week. Not when layoffs are announced. Today.

Because once layoffs hit, you're competing with thousands of others from your company—all with similar experience, all applying to the same roles.

The people who get hired first are the ones who were ready first.

Step 4: Make Your Value Impossible to Ignore

Your resume can't just list what you did. It needs to prove why you're irreplaceable.

Generic bullets like "Managed cross-functional teams" or "Improved operational efficiency" could apply to anyone.

But this? This is you:

"Cut AWS infrastructure costs 23% ($340K annually) by architecting serverless microservices—reduced Lambda cold-start latency 67% serving 2.4M daily requests"

See the difference?

One could be written by an AI. The other could only be written about your specific work.

In a market where AI is replacing humans, you need to prove you're not replaceable.

Step 5: Test Your Resume Against Real Job Descriptions

Here's what most people don't know:

75% of resumes never reach a human. They're killed by ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) that scan for keyword matches.

You could be the perfect candidate. But if your resume doesn't have the exact keywords the ATS is looking for, formatted correctly, in the right places?

You're rejected before anyone even sees your name.

Smart job seekers test their resumes against actual job descriptions before applying.

They identify what's missing. Add the right keywords. Restructure bullets. Make sure the ATS can actually read what they're saying.

It takes 10 minutes per application. And it's the difference between getting rejected by a bot or landing on a hiring manager's desk.

If you want to see how your resume actually scores against the jobs you're targeting: Test Your Resume Against Any Job

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The Four Signals Your Company Is Next

Watch for these warning signs:

Signal #1: Leadership Talking About "AI Efficiency Gains"

When your CEO starts saying things like:

"We're leveraging AI to improve productivity"
"Automation will help us do more with less"
"AI is transforming how we work"

Translation: We're going to replace people with AI.

Signal #2: Aggressive AI Investment + Hiring Freeze

When your company is:

Pouring money into AI tools and infrastructure
But freezing headcount or "pausing hiring"

Translation: We're building the AI that will replace you.

Signal #3: Eliminating Middle Management

When your company starts:

"Flattening the organization"
"Reducing management layers"
"Increasing span of control"

Translation: AI can manage teams now. We don't need as many managers.

Signal #4: Process Automation Projects

When your company launches initiatives to:

"Standardize workflows"
"Document processes"
"Create playbooks"

Translation: We're mapping your job so AI can learn to do it.

If you're seeing 2+ of these signals, start preparing now.

•••

What Amazon Employees Are Doing Right Now

I've been reading posts on LinkedIn, Blind, and industry forums. Here's what people who got the email are actually doing:

The Smart Ones (Taking Action)

Immediately updating LinkedIn to "Open to Work"
Reaching out to their network for referrals
Applying to competitor roles (Google Cloud, Azure, Oracle)
Negotiating severance packages
Filing for unemployment same day
Booking interviews for this week

The Overwhelmed Ones (Stuck in Emotion)

Posting angry rants about Amazon
Debating whether the layoffs were "fair"
Waiting to see if they can get their job back
Spending days processing the shock
Paralyzed by fear and uncertainty

Guess which group will be employed again in 6 weeks?

Emotion is valid. But action gets results.

•••

The Bigger Picture: What This Means for Corporate America

Amazon's layoffs aren't just about Amazon.

They're a preview of what's coming everywhere:

The Old Model (2010-2022)

Hire humans for growth
Scale headcount with revenue
People are the company's greatest asset

The New Model (2023-2030)

Hire AI for growth
Scale automation, shrink headcount
People are the company's greatest expense

Every company is watching what Amazon does. And they're learning.

If Amazon can cut 10% of corporate staff while maintaining output, why wouldn't others try?

If AWS can automate HR functions, why would any company keep large HR teams?

If AI can screen resumes, write code, analyze data, manage projects—why pay six-figure salaries?

The job market didn't change today. But everyone just got proof of where it's going.

•••

The Three Questions You Need to Answer This Week

Question 1: If I got laid off tomorrow, how long would it take me to find a job?

Be honest. Is your resume ready? Is your LinkedIn updated? Do you have active relationships with recruiters? Are you prepared for interviews?

If the answer is "I'd need at least 2-3 weeks to get ready"—you're already behind.

Question 2: What makes me irreplaceable right now?

Not what your job description says. Not what you think you're good at.

What specific, measurable value do you create that couldn't be automated?

If you struggle to answer this, you're vulnerable.

Question 3: What am I doing THIS WEEK to prepare?

Not thinking about preparing. Not planning to prepare eventually.

What specific action are you taking this week?

Because hope isn't a strategy. Action is.

•••

What to Do This Week (Specific Actions)

Monday: Open your resume. Read every bullet point. Ask: "Could this apply to 100 other people?" If yes, rewrite it with specific numbers and outcomes.

Tuesday: Update your LinkedIn. Add "Open to Work" (only visible to recruiters if you're still employed). Connect with 10 people in your industry.

Wednesday: Pick 3 companies you'd want to work for. Find people who work there. Send thoughtful connection requests.

Thursday: Take one job description from a role you want. Compare your resume against it. Identify gaps. Add missing keywords and skills.

Friday: Apply to 3 roles with customized resumes. Not your generic resume—one tailored to each specific job.

Weekend: Rest. Seriously. Job searching is a marathon. Panic is the enemy. Clear heads win.

Result: You're ready. Not someday. This week.

•••

The Last Thing

30,000 Amazon employees didn't do anything wrong.

They showed up. Did good work. Got good reviews.

And they still got the email.

Because in 2025, being good at your job isn't enough.

Being reliable isn't enough.

Being loyal isn't enough.

The only thing that matters is whether you can prove your value faster than a machine can replace you.

And that requires:

A resume that shows specific, measurable impact
A LinkedIn profile that proves expertise
A network that knows what you're capable of
A strategy for standing out in a sea of qualified candidates

Most people wait until they get the email to build these things.

By then, it's too late. They're competing with thousands of others, all scrambling at once.

The people who win are the ones who were ready before the email came.

Be ready.

•••

For Everyone Affected

If you got the email today, I'm sorry. This isn't fair. You deserved better.

But here's what you need to hear:

This is not the end of your career. It's a redirection.

The companies that survive the AI transition will be the ones that still value human insight, creativity, relationship-building, and judgment.

Your job is to find them. And to make it impossible for them to say no to you.

You will get through this.

But only if you start taking action today.

•••

If you know someone at Amazon, or any tech company, or any large corporation—send them this.

Not to scare them. But to prepare them.

Because the worst thing you can do right now is pretend this isn't happening.

It is.

And the only question that matters is: What are you going to do about it?

•••

P.S. – To the 30,000 people who got the email today: You're talented. You're capable. And you will land somewhere better. But you need to move fast. Update that resume. Optimize it for ATS. Start applying. The market rewards speed. Don't waste time being angry at Amazon. Channel that energy into your next opportunity.