Amazon Eliminates Robotics Jobs in Latest Workforce Reduction

“We regularly review our organizations to make sure teams are best set up to innovate and deliver for our customers,” the spokesperson said. “Following a recent review, we’ve made the difficult decision to eliminate a relatively small number of robotics roles. We don’t make these decisions lightly, and we’re committed to supporting employees whose roles are affected with severance pay, health insurance benefits, and job placement support.”

The latest cuts contradict messaging Amazon delivered to staff just weeks ago. In a January memo, Beth Galetti, Amazon’s senior vice president of people experience and technology, told employees the company would not establish a pattern of recurring mass layoffs. “Some of you might ask if this is the beginning of a new rhythm where we announce broad reductions every few months. That’s not our plan,” Galetti wrote. She added that teams would still evaluate operations and “make adjustments as appropriate,” calling such reviews critical “in a world that’s changing faster than ever.”

Amazon’s robotics division operates the company’s growing fleet of warehouse automation systems that move products through fulfillment centers. The company deployed its 1 millionth robot last year, a milestone that reflected years of investment in automation technology. However, Amazon shut down its new Blue Jay warehouse robotic system in January, suggesting not all automation initiatives have succeeded. The company also announced in January it would close all Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh grocery store locations, though it plans to license the “Just Walk Out” technology originally developed for Amazon Go stores.

Amazon eliminated 27,000 positions in 2023 across multiple rounds of layoffs. The company employed around 350,000 corporate workers in early 2023, the last time it disclosed that figure publicly. Its total workforce stands at 1.58 million, which includes warehouse employees who handle the physical work of sorting and shipping products that the robotics division’s technology was designed to assist.