Amazon Warns of AI Layoffs, But Their Job Postings Tell Another Story

June 18, 9:31 pm

Amazon (AMZN) CEO Andy Jassy recently made headlines by telling employees that AI will reduce the size of the company’s corporate workforce in the coming years. He described AI as a key driver of “efficiency gains” that would allow the tech giant to operate with fewer office-based employees.

It’s a striking statement from the head of one of the world’s largest employers - Amazon had over 1.5 million employees globally at the end of last year, with roughly 350,000 in corporate roles. But despite these warnings of workforce reductions, Amazon’s hiring trends tell a more complex story.

According to our job postings data, which pulls from the largest job boards globally, Amazon’s job postings have climbed steadily over the last 2.5 years. In fact, since January 2023, open roles at Amazon have increased nearly fourfold, from fewer than 7,000 to over 25,000 in June 2025.

Amazon Job Postings Month over Month

Hiring Trends Defy AI Cutback Narrative

This rise in hiring activity stands in direct contrast to Jassy’s messaging. While AI may eventually reduce the need for some roles, Amazon’s current hiring behavior suggests it is actively reshaping its workforce, not shrinking it.

The company is clearly prioritizing functions that align with operational efficiency, scalable logistics, customer service, and AI deployment itself. Among the most frequently listed roles are:

• Business Analysts
• Customer Success Managers
• Operations Managers
• Software Development Engineers

This trend indicates that Amazon is staffing for growth and transformation - bringing on talent that can improve customer experience, drive data-driven decisions, and enhance productivity across its sprawling global footprint.

Global Footprint and Strategic Focus

A breakdown of the job postings reveals where Amazon is investing most heavily. A significant number of roles are located in India, especially in Bengaluru, reflecting a broader strategy to expand engineering, operations, and support teams in cost-effective, tech-driven regions.

Meanwhile, Seattle and Santa Monica stand out in the U.S. market, suggesting Amazon continues to focus on leadership, business development, and AI implementation in its key American hubs.

This regional hiring pattern shows a dual-pronged approach: operational scaling in global markets and innovation leadership in mature regions.

Flat Headcount, Rising Turnover?

While job postings have increased dramatically, Amazon’s total employee count, according to LinkedIn data, has remained relatively flat. As of June 2025, 727,146 people list Amazon as their employer on LinkedIn, down about 1% from the previous year.

This suggests Amazon is dealing with high turnover - or that it's deliberately restructuring teams and replacing certain roles with new, future-focused positions. It’s a dynamic hiring environment, not a frozen one.

What This Means for Investors

Amazon is currently trading at $212 per share, up 16% over the last 12 months. That upward trend reflects more than just tech sector optimism - it reflects confidence in Amazon’s ability to evolve.

While CEO Andy Jassy has warned that AI will shrink the corporate workforce, our job postings data reveals the opposite in the short term: Amazon is hiring aggressively, especially in areas that drive efficiency, scalability, and innovation. These roles are the foundation for a company preparing to lead in an AI-powered economy.

Rather than signaling contraction, Amazon’s hiring signals transformation. And that transformation is a bullish indicator.

This is where using alternative data gives investors an edge.

At AltIndex, we specialize in uncovering real-time company trends using alternative data - tracking job postings, employee sentiment, insider trades, social engagement, and more. In Amazon’s case, our job data clearly showed a surge in hiring even as headlines predicted cutbacks.

It’s a powerful reminder that looking beyond traditional data and news cycles can reveal the real direction of a company. With AltIndex, investors can spot these trends early - before they’re priced into the market.

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