About 300 jobs at Amazon’s Irish operation are under threat as the tech giant confirmed 16,000 corporate layoffs worldwide, completing a plan for roughly 30,000 reductions since October while signaling more cuts could follow.
Amazon employs nearly 6,500 people in Ireland and said it would not comment on how many local roles are affected. RTÉ News reported that approximately 300 Ireland-based positions are at risk, following around 150 losses in the country during a global round of redundancies last October.
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The latest reductions underscore the scale of Amazon’s overhaul. While the company has 1.58 million employees globally, most in fulfillment centers and warehouses, the 30,000 cuts represent nearly 10 percent of its corporate workforce. Reuters reported last week that a second round of layoffs was in motion to meet the broader target.
Amazon framed the cuts as part of a drive to streamline operations. The company’s top human resources executive, Beth Galetti, said the moves are aimed at “reducing layers, increasing ownership, and removing bureaucracy.” She left open the possibility of further losses, noting some teams will continue to “make adjustments as appropriate,” but added: “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.”
The process has not been without missteps. An email apparently referencing the layoff plan as “Project Dawn” was mistakenly sent to some Amazon Web Services staff yesterday, unsettling employees ahead of today’s announcement.
Ireland’s government sought to emphasize the country’s broader investment appeal amid the uncertainty. “In response to global challenges, a number of companies have announced reductions in overall staffing numbers recently and there can be an effect on Irish operations,” a Department spokesperson said. “Ireland has been a prime destination for many of the world’s top companies for decades, especially in the technology sector, and this continues to be the case.” The spokesperson cited IDA results last December highlighting a record 323 investments in 2025 with potential to create 15,300 jobs, and Enterprise Ireland figures showing 12,608 new jobs in 2025 in EI-backed companies.
The job cuts highlight how artificial intelligence is reshaping corporate workforces. Executives at the World Economic Forum in Davos said last week that while some positions will disappear, new roles will emerge, with two telling Reuters that AI would also be used as a justification for reductions companies planned anyway. Amazon, which has acknowledged overhiring during the pandemic e-commerce surge, has said AI and concerns about maintaining corporate culture were factors in its October cuts. CEO Andy Jassy said last summer that greater use of AI tools would automate more duties and reduce some corporate roles.
The company has been retooling its operations alongside the layoffs. Amazon began the latest cuts by announcing it will close all remaining Fresh grocery stores and Go markets, continuing its pullback from physical retail, while accelerating robotics investments in its warehouses to speed packaging and deliveries and cut costs. Amazon is scheduled to report quarterly results next week.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
