Amazon employees went through a harrowing time at the start of the year, with over 16,000 roles eliminated. Now, a new viral social media post claims a second wave of cuts is coming. The new post claims the 16,000 figure
is merely 'Phase One,' with internal documents allegedly showing another 14,000 cuts planned for Q2.
AI workflows replacing human jobs
An account called Tech Layoff Tracker posted on X, claiming the 16,000 figure is merely 'Phase One,' with internal documents allegedly showing another 14,000 cuts planned for Q2. The post - citing anonymous VPs and directors - also alleged that entire AWS teams are being replaced by two or three senior engineers running AI workflows, and that departing engineers were unwittingly used in "knowledge transfer sessions" to train the AI agents that replaced them.
The post has not been independently verified, and Amazon has not publicly responded to the claims.
The tweet's framing, while dramatic, aligns with what reporters have already confirmed. Reuters, citing unnamed sources, had previously reported that Amazon planned a broader restructuring totalling 30,000 corporate jobs across two rounds - meaning further cuts were always part of the plan. Separate from the corporate restructuring, Amazon has also laid off robotics staff in recent weeks.
"Internal Slack shows leadership celebrating 'operational excellence' while badges get deactivated in real-time. They're calling it 'right-sizing for the AI era' in the all-hands. But the P&L sheets I'm seeing show $280 million in salary savings this quarter alone. The knowledge extraction is complete. If you're still at Amazon and haven't started job hunting, you're already dead," the post reads.
The Internet has reacted with fear and anger:
Amazon laid off 16,000 employees earlier this year
Amazon has confirmed that 16,000 roles across the company have been eliminated, with most US-based employees given 90 days to find a new internal role before severance kicks in. Senior VP Beth Galetti framed the cuts as an effort to strengthen the organization by "reducing layers, increasing ownership, and removing bureaucracy."
CEO Andy Jassy has been blunt about AI's role in shrinking Amazon's workforce, writing previously that efficiency gains from the technology would allow the company to reduce headcount - saying it would "need fewer people doing some of the jobs that are being done today."
