Amazon has laid off at least 100 white-collar employees in its robotics division, which designs warehouse automation equipment. This follows a series of broader corporate layoffs that began in October, totaling approximately 30,000 jobs, which the company has linked to efficiency gains from AI and organizational reviews.
The recent robotics cuts come after Amazon halted development of its "Blue Jay" robotic arm project in January. These layoffs are part of a sustained trend, with additional smaller job reductions occurring over the past year in various other units like devices, services, and books.
The main topics covered are corporate layoffs at Amazon, specifically within the robotics unit and broader white-collar workforce, the company's rationale of efficiency and AI, and the cancellation of the Blue Jay robotics project.
Amazon on Tuesday confirmed it laid off staff across its robotics unit, with at least 100 white-collar jobs affected, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters.
This comes after a January cut of about 16,000 jobs with the âcompany at â the time â hinting layoffs would continue.
The division axed on Tuesday is responsible for designing robots and other conveyances for automation, primarily in warehouses.
"We regularly review our organisations to make sure teams are best set up to innovate and deliver for our customers," Amazon said in the statement, without specifying the â number of âjobs cut. Business Insider earlier reported the robotics cuts.
Starting with a round of some 14,000 white-collar â employees in October, Amazon has trimmed 30,000 corporate employees, tying them to efficiency gains from artificial intelligence, as well as revising company culture. The layoffs represented nearly 10% of white-collar workers, though the bulk of Amazon's 1.5 million workers are hourly staff, particularly in warehouses known as fulfilment centres.
The latest job cuts âcome after Amazon in January halted development of a robotic arm known as Blue Jay that it demonstrated at an event â in October. Blue Jay featured multiple robotic arms that could grab several items at once and was designed to help workers in smaller spaces.
In addition to the broader cuts in October and January, Amazon over the past year has pared a smaller number of jobs in its devices and services, books, podcasts and public relations units, among others.
This comes after a January cut of about 16,000 jobs with the âcompany at â the time â hinting layoffs would continue.
The division axed on Tuesday is responsible for designing robots and other conveyances for automation, primarily in warehouses.
"We regularly review our organisations to make sure teams are best set up to innovate and deliver for our customers," Amazon said in the statement, without specifying the â number of âjobs cut. Business Insider earlier reported the robotics cuts.
Starting with a round of some 14,000 white-collar â employees in October, Amazon has trimmed 30,000 corporate employees, tying them to efficiency gains from artificial intelligence, as well as revising company culture. The layoffs represented nearly 10% of white-collar workers, though the bulk of Amazon's 1.5 million workers are hourly staff, particularly in warehouses known as fulfilment centres.
The latest job cuts âcome after Amazon in January halted development of a robotic arm known as Blue Jay that it demonstrated at an event â in October. Blue Jay featured multiple robotic arms that could grab several items at once and was designed to help workers in smaller spaces.
In addition to the broader cuts in October and January, Amazon over the past year has pared a smaller number of jobs in its devices and services, books, podcasts and public relations units, among others.
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