Amazon CEO Andy Jassy foresees workforce reductions amidst Gen AI expansion

The leader emphasised that those who embrace the change and help build AI capabilities internally will be well-positioned during the company's reinvention.

In a recent message to employees, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy highlighted the transformative impact of generative AI (Gen AI), and how its extensive adoption is influencing the company’s future staffing needs.

Shared on the company’s website on 17 June 2025, the leader said in the message that Gen AI is now being used across nearly every facet of Amazon’s business – from enhancing customer experiences to streamlining internal operations.

In particular, its integration into the fulfillment network has significantly improved inventory placement, demand forecasting, and robotic efficiency – resulting in faster deliveries and lower operational costs.

He expressed strong confidence in the transformative potential of AI agents, stating that they will redefine how people work and live, and enable employees to focus less on rote work and more on thinking strategically about how to improve customer experiences and innovate.

“If we build and leverage the right agents, it’s going to rapidly accelerate our ability to make customers lives easier and better every day, and it’s going to make our jobs even more exciting and fun than they are today,” said Jassy.

However, he acknowledged that these technological advancements are also influencing headcount requirements in some areas.

“As we roll out more Generative AI and agents, it should change the way our work is done. We will need fewer people doing some of the jobs that are being done today, and more people doing other types of jobs,” he stated.

While the long-term impact remains uncertain, Jassy projected that Amazon’s corporate workforce will likely shrink over the next few years due to efficiency gains from AI.

Despite these shifts, Jassy encouraged employees to embrace the transformation, and actively participate in building the company’s AI capabilities. He urged them to stay curious, pursue learning opportunities, and contribute to innovation.

“Be curious about AI, educate yourself, attend workshops and take trainings, use and experiment with AI whenever you can, participate in your team’s brainstorms to figure out how to invent for our customers more quickly and expansively, and how to get more done with scrappier teams,” he advised.

“Those who embrace this change, become conversant in AI, help us build and improve our AI capabilities internally and deliver for customers, will be well-positioned to have high impact and help us reinvent the company.”

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