Amazon’s Chief Executive Officer, Andy Jassy, has said that artificial intelligence (AI) will significantly reshape the company’s workforce, particularly reducing the number of office-based roles in the coming years.
In an email to employees on Wednesday, Jassy explained that while some jobs will disappear due to AI efficiencies, new roles will emerge that require different skill sets.
“We will need fewer people doing some of the jobs that are being done today, and more people doing other types of jobs,” he said.
He acknowledged the uncertainty around how the overall workforce will evolve but indicated that AI is expected to drive a shift in staffing needs across the global e-commerce giant.
Amazon currently employs around 1.5 million people globally, including approximately 350,000 office workers across various departments.
According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, Amazon does not foresee another wave of large-scale layoffs like those in 2022 and 2023. However, it plans to reduce headcount over time by not filling vacant positions—though further layoffs have not been entirely ruled out.
Amazon’s strategic focus is now on developing AI agents—advanced software capable of autonomously performing complex tasks such as web research, software development, language translation, and administrative automation.
“These agents will be teammates that we can call on at various stages of our work,” Jassy explained, urging employees to embrace and experiment with AI tools.
The announcement adds to growing concerns over the impact of AI on employment across industries. Many companies are now requiring departments to justify the hiring of new staff by proving that AI cannot perform the task effectively.
For example, music streaming giant Spotify recently implemented a policy requiring managers to demonstrate that AI alternatives are not viable before approving new hires.
Similarly, the creators of the language-learning platform Duolingo have announced plans to gradually replace some external workers with AI technologies.
The implications of AI on the future of work remain a hot-button issue as organisations weigh productivity gains against workforce reductions.
