Amazon Layoffs Hit Engineers Hard in Major Reshuffle

Amazon’s latest round of restructuring has triggered one of the largest workforce reductions in the company’s history, sharply impacting engineering teams across multiple U.S. states. More than 14,000 employees were laid off in October 2025, marking a sweeping reset that touched nearly every business division—from cloud and devices to retail, advertising and groceries.

State labour filings reveal how deep the cuts ran inside Amazon’s technical workforce. Data submitted in New York, California, New Jersey and Washington shows over 4,700 roles were eliminated in these states alone, with nearly 40% belonging to engineering. These numbers reflect only a portion of Amazon’s national restructuring, as not all states disclose the same level of detail.

Inside the company, the moves are being described as an effort to simplify internal structures and reduce decision-making layers. Amazon has maintained that artificial intelligence was not the primary cause of the layoffs, though it acknowledges that the technology is reshaping workflows and reducing the need for certain white-collar roles.

The impact was felt across mid-level and senior positions, with SDE II engineers—Amazon’s mid-tier software developers—seeing the highest concentration of cuts. More than 500 product managers and programme managers were also affected, representing over 10% of the recorded WARN notices. Some senior managers and principal-level staff were included as well.

Beyond engineering and corporate roles, Amazon’s gaming division faced significant reductions. WARN filings in California confirm heavy cuts across the company’s San Diego and Irvine studios, along with central publishing teams. In Irvine, game designers, producers and artists made up more than a quarter of the layoffs, while San Diego saw around 11% of its affected workforce come from similar creative roles.

Meanwhile, Amazon has scaled back its visual search and shopping teams. The Palo Alto group behind tools such as Amazon Lens and Lens Live saw software engineers, applied scientists and quality assurance specialists released as part of the restructuring. Advertising was also hit, with more than 140 sales and marketing positions eliminated in New York.

As internal teams adjust to the sweeping changes, Amazon is expected to undergo another round of cuts in January 2026, continuing a shift toward leaner operations and faster innovation cycles.