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Bengaluru: In the latest round of layoffs, e-commerce giant Amazon announced 14,000 corporate job cuts, and in India, at least 800 people will receive pink slips. According to people familiar with the matter, close to 800 people will be impacted, and many have started receiving layoff emails from Tuesday evening.
These job cuts are across functions, including retail business services (RBS) unit, robotics/mechatronics and Devices, among others. Sources added that many people lost jobs in Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad offices, as the company has its largest workforce in these cities. Amazon employs about 1,30,000 people in India.
Some laid-off employees shared their experiences online and said they received an email notification, and soon after that, their access was revoked.
"Your device has been put into reduced functionality mode limiting your access," a screenshot shared by an employee read.
Many roles were impacted, especially employees in Prime Video teams. It is learnt that the company is offering job opportunities internally according to employees' skill sets.
An email sent to the Amazon India team regarding this did not elicit any response.
HR experts pointed out that during this transition time, it is important for employees to upskill themselves so as to fit into newer roles according to the company's requirements.
Aditya Narayan Mishra, MD and CEO of CIEL HR, said, in today’s fast-changing job market, upskilling is no longer optional; it’s a survival strategy.
"The recent layoffs across global tech firms underline that even experienced professionals can become redundant if their skills don’t evolve with business priorities. Adaptability and continuous learning, especially in areas touched by AI, will define career resilience going forward. What matters now is not just what people studied, but how quickly they can learn, unlearn, and apply new skills. Companies are increasingly valuing tech fluency and human capabilities that complement AI, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and innovation," he said.
From a skills standpoint, demand is rapidly rising for professionals who build expertise in AI, ML, Cybersecurity, Secure DevOps, VAPT, Governance, Risk & Compliance, and Identity & Access Management, he added.
Amazon had announced a workforce reduction of 18,000 employees in January 2023, and again in March, it laid off 9,000 more employees globally.
Beth Galetti, Senior VP of People Experience and Technology at Amazon, said in a note that this generation of AI is the most transformative technology we’ve seen since the Internet, and it's enabling companies to innovate much faster than ever before. "We’re convicted that we need to be organised more leanly, with fewer layers and more ownership, to move as quickly as possible for our customers and business," she said.
The recent developments in the tech industry have underscored a crucial truth: continuous learning and upskilling are essential to stay relevant and future-ready. With rapid advancements in areas like AI, automation, and data analytics, the expectations from professionals are evolving, said Abhimanyu Saxena, co-founder of Scaler & Interviewbit.
He added that today’s workforce is expected not just to keep up with technology but to leverage it by using AI, ML, and data-driven insights to drive innovation and impact. Upskilling is no longer optional; it’s the foundation for long-term career growth and resilience.