Amazon faces fresh layoff rumors

Amazon has cut additional jobs in its Selling Partner Services organization, according to multiple reports published on May 13 and May 14, reviving online speculation about a broader new round of layoffs. Business Insider reported that an Amazon spokesperson confirmed cuts affecting a “relatively small number” of roles in the unit, which works with third-party merchants on onboarding, logistics and account support. Other claims circulating on Reddit and Blind described role-elimination emails in several locations, but those posts remain unverified. May 14 reports from NDTV Profit and other outlets also pointed to a Reddit post by a user identifying as an L5 software development engineer in Bellevue who said they had received notice that their role was being eliminated. Reuters could not independently verify that post or the scale of any cuts beyond the company’s confirmed statement about Selling Partner Services. Amazon did not appear to publish a separate public announcement on the latest reductions on its corporate news site. (businessinsider.com) ### Which layoffs are confirmed, and which claims are still rumor? Business Insider’s May 13 report is the strongest confirmed account so far. It said an Amazon spokesperson confirmed layoffs in Selling Partner Services and said affected employees would receive transitional health care, separation pay and outplacement support. (ndtvprofit.com) Reddit and Blind posts described a wider pattern of staggered cuts across teams and geographies including Bellevue, Manila, Singapore, Costa Rica and Bengaluru. Those posts helped drive the latest wave of layoff chatter, but Amazon has not publicly confirmed a broader global reduction tied to those claims. (businessinsider.com) ### Why is Selling Partner Services the focus of the latest reports? Selling Partner Services is the group that supports the millions of merchants who sell through Amazon’s marketplace. Amazon’s own seller materials describe the business as a central part of its marketplace operations, and the company named Amit Agarwal to lead Worldwide Selling Partner Services in a leadership update published on February 4. (republicworld.com) The latest cuts appear to be targeted rather than companywide. Reports citing Amazon’s spokesperson said the move followed an internal review of how the organization is set up, language that matches the company’s broader restructuring message earlier this year. ### How does this fit with Amazon’s earlier job cuts in 2026? (aboutamazon.com) January 28 was Amazon’s last clearly documented large layoff announcement. CNBC reported then that Amazon planned to eliminate about 16,000 corporate jobs, after roughly 14,000 corporate layoffs announced in October 2025. Amazon said at the time that it was trying to reduce layers and bureaucracy. (businessinsider.com) March also brought a smaller, separate reduction in Amazon’s robotics division, according to follow-up reporting cited in later coverage of this week’s cuts. That sequence has made employees and investors more sensitive to new signs of role eliminations, especially when internal emails or forum posts surface before formal company comment. (cnbc.com) ### What do the AI-related employee complaints have to do with this story? The Financial Times, cited by ET Enterprise AI and other outlets on May 13, reported that some Amazon employees said they were under pressure to use internal AI tools such as MeshClaw to show adoption. Those employees said managers tracked generative AI usage and token consumption, while some workers worried about security implications and whether the metrics could affect performance assessments. (dnyuz.com) Amazon said AI token statistics would not be used in performance reviews, according to the reports. Those AI complaints are separate from the confirmed Selling Partner Services cuts. But both developments come as Amazon continues to present AI as a core investment area while reshaping parts of its workforce and internal processes. CNBC tied the January layoffs to Amazon’s anti-bureaucracy drive and heavy AI spending, and several May reports drew the same connection. (enterpriseai.economictimes.indiatimes.com) ### What should readers watch next? Amazon’s corporate news pages and seller-facing updates are the most likely places for any formal clarification on the scope of the latest cuts. The company’s seller events page also lists Amazon Accelerate as its flagship conference for merchants, a venue where leadership often outlines marketplace priorities and operational changes. (aboutamazon.com) (cnbc.com)