Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) has reportedly cut additional jobs in its robotics division.
Robotics Unit Hit By Latest Layoffs
Amazon has laid off employees in its robotics organization, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing two people familiar with the matter.
The team was responsible for building machines and automated systems used primarily in warehouse operations. The cuts reportedly affected at least 100 white-collar roles within the division.
In a statement to the publication, Amazon said it routinely reviews its internal structure to ensure teams are positioned to innovate and deliver for customers.
However, it did not disclose the exact number of jobs impacted.
Amazon did not immediately respond to Benzinga’s request for comments.
AI Efficiency Push Drives Corporate Cuts
The layoffs come as Amazon continues a sweeping effort to trim corporate staff while improving efficiency with AI-powered tools.
Since last year, the company has significantly reduced its white-collar workforce.
Beginning with roughly 14,000 corporate layoffs in October, followed by about 16,000 additional cuts in January, the company has eliminated roughly 30,000 corporate roles overall.
Those reductions represent close to 10% of Amazon’s corporate workforce.
Most of Amazon’s roughly 1.5 million employees work in hourly roles, particularly inside the company’s vast network of fulfillment centers.
‘Blue Jay’ Robotics Project Halted
The latest layoffs also follow Amazon’s decision earlier this year to halt development of a robotics system known as Blue Jay, which the company showcased at an event in October.
The system featured multiple robotic arms designed to grab several items simultaneously, helping warehouse workers operate in tighter spaces.
Over the past year, Amazon has also trimmed smaller numbers of jobs across several other teams, including devices and services, books, podcasts and public relations.
Amazon and its founder, Jeff Bezos has also been facing criticism for potentially replacing hundreds of human employees with robots.
The development also comes after last month, Block, Inc. (NYSE:XYZ) said it plans to reduce its workforce from more than 10,000 employees to just under 6,000, cutting over 4,000 jobs.
Price Action: Amazon shares gained 3.88% on Wednesday, closing at $216.82. The company gained further in after-hours trading, reaching $217.15, at the time of writing, according to Benzinga Pro.
Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings indicate that AMZN has a negative price trend across short, medium and long term, with the Value ranking in the 72nd percentile.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo: ACHPF via Shutterstock
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