Amazon has laid off around 100 employees from its Devices and Services unit, which develops products like the Kindle, Echo smart speakers, Alexa, and the Zoox autonomous vehicle project. The job cuts, confirmed by the company after a Reuters inquiry, are part of a broader initiative to streamline operations and align teams with its evolving product roadmap.
According to an Amazon spokesperson, the eliminated roles represent a small portion of the unit’s total workforce and follow a regular business review. Specific divisions affected within the Devices and Services group were not disclosed.
“We’ve made the difficult decision to eliminate a small number of roles,” the company stated, emphasizing ongoing efforts to boost efficiency and better match staffing with product goals.
This move follows previous cuts across several Amazon units, including Alexa in 2023, and more recent reductions in Wondery podcast, retail, and communications departments. While trimming certain areas, Amazon also added about 4,000 new roles from Q4 2024 to Q1 2025.
The restructuring comes just months after Amazon unveiled a major Alexa upgrade powered by generative AI, designed to make the assistant more conversational and capable of handling user tasks. CEO Andy Jassy has prioritized reducing corporate complexity, including trimming management layers, as part of a cost-control strategy.
Despite the layoffs, Amazon’s stock closed with a minimal dip, down less than 1% at $210.25.