Amazon has cut another round of jobs, this time inside its robotics division, just weeks after eliminating 16,000 roles across the company earlier this year.
At least 100 white-collar positions were eliminated within Amazon Robotics, the unit responsible for developing and operating the automated systems that power the company’s global warehouse network, according to Reuters, which cited people familiar with the matter. Amazon did not confirm the exact number of layoffs.
The company acknowledged the cuts in a statement, saying it regularly reviews organisational structures to ensure teams are positioned to innovate and deliver for customers.
The move marks the latest workforce reduction in a broader restructuring effort led by chief executive Andy Jassy, who has been reshaping the company’s cost base and operational structure since late 2022.
Robotics division at the centre of Amazon’s warehouse automation
The Massachusetts-based Amazon Robotics division designs, builds and manages the automated systems used in the company’s fulfilment centres. These include the autonomous robots that transport goods across warehouses and assist human workers in sorting and picking operations.
Today, roughly one million robots operate across more than 1,200 Amazon fulfilment centres worldwide, forming a critical backbone of the company’s logistics infrastructure.
Robotic systems deployed in these facilities can lift loads of up to 750 pounds and travel at speeds of about five feet per second, helping move inventory across vast warehouse floors.
Despite the increasing reliance on automation, the robotics unit itself has not been immune to workforce reductions as Amazon tightens spending and shifts resources across its technology programmes.
Layoffs follow earlier workforce reductions
The latest cuts come barely a month after Amazon laid off 16,000 employees on January 28, part of a broader plan announced in October to reduce the workforce by around 30,000 roles, according to Reuters.
The January layoffs also generated controversy after an internal message about job losses was mistakenly sent to thousands of Amazon Web Services employees hours before the official announcement.
Amazon has described the restructuring as an effort to streamline decision-making and remove bureaucratic layers, though critics say the cuts reflect a deeper recalibration across big technology companies after years of aggressive hiring.
Project cancellations add to restructuring
The layoffs in the robotics division also follow the cancellation of Amazon’s “Blue Jay” robotic arm project, which had been unveiled publicly only months earlier.
According to Reuters, the system featured multiple robotic arms designed to handle several items simultaneously and operate efficiently in confined warehouse spaces.
Amazon reportedly discontinued the project due to technical challenges, cost pressures and difficulties scaling the system across its logistics network.
Automation investments continue
Even as the company trims headcount, Amazon continues to invest heavily in automation, artificial intelligence and what it describes as “advanced technology” to improve efficiency across its operations.
The strategy reflects a wider trend across the technology sector, where companies are increasing spending on AI-driven systems while reducing human headcount in selected roles.
According to industry data cited by Reuters, US companies announced more than 108,000 job cuts in January 2026, the highest monthly total since the global financial crisis.
Several major technology firms have also reduced staff in recent months. Microsoft cut about 15,000 jobs, Block eliminated more than 4,000 roles, while Salesforce and eBay also announced smaller workforce reductions.
Workforce reductions since 2022
Amazon has been among the most aggressive in trimming staff since the pandemic-era hiring surge.
The company eliminated around 27,000 roles in 2022, bringing total job cuts since then to nearly 50,000 positions, according to Reuters.
In the past year alone, Amazon has reduced headcount across multiple divisions, including devices and services, books, podcasts and public relations teams.
A recalibration across tech
For Amazon, the robotics layoffs highlight a broader shift underway across the technology industry.
Companies that once expanded rapidly on the back of e-commerce growth and digital demand are now focusing on efficiency, automation and leaner organisational structures.
As investment flows into artificial intelligence and robotics, the balance between human labour and machine-driven operations is likely to become an increasingly central question for both companies and workers.
For Amazon, the immediate priority remains scaling its logistics infrastructure while keeping costs under control — a strategy that continues to reshape both its workforce and the technologies powering its vast fulfilment network.