Key Takeaways
- Amazon may have accidentally sent a layoff notification to some AWS staff.
- The alert indicated up to 16,000 jobs could be impacted.
- Amazon has not officially confirmed the job cuts.
Amazon may have inadvertently alerted a group of its Amazon Web Services (AWS) employees about potential layoffs, with a figure of 16,000 jobs mentioned. The email was reportedly sent to a small number of staff on Tuesday, January 28, 2026.
Details of the Accidental Alert
The email notification stated that the employees’ roles were at risk as part of a broader company restructuring. It included a link for employees to seek more information and apply for other internal positions.
This incident follows a series of job cuts at Amazon. In late 2025, the company announced 10,000 layoffs across its corporate and technology teams as part of a cost-cutting initiative.
AWS in Focus
The alert points to Amazon’s highly profitable cloud computing division, AWS, as a potential next target for workforce reduction. The specific number of 16,000 jobs mentioned remains unverified and could be an error or placeholder.
Amazon has not issued an official statement regarding the reported alert. The company’s upcoming quarterly earnings report, due later this week, is expected to shed more light on its restructuring strategy.



