Amazon Plans Further Global Job Cuts, With Up to 300 Roles at Risk in Ireland

Dublin: Amazon is planning another round of job cuts, with reports suggesting that up to 300 roles in Ireland could be affected as part of a wider global workforce reduction. While there has been no official confirmation of the exact number in Ireland, the company announced on Wednesday that it will eliminate around 16,000 positions worldwide.

The latest move follows an earlier announcement in October of plans to cut 30,000 jobs globally. Amazon has also signalled that further reductions may be possible. Ireland was affected by the previous round, with approximately 150 jobs lost last October. The company currently employs about 6,500 people in Ireland.

The Department of Enterprise confirmed that it has received notification of collective redundancies from Amazon Ireland. A department spokesperson said a number of multinational companies have recently announced job cuts due to challenging global conditions, with knock-on effects for their Irish operations.

Despite the scale of the cuts, the planned reductions represent a relatively small proportion of Amazon’s global workforce of around 1.58 million employees, the majority of whom are based in fulfilment centres and warehouses. Reports earlier this week indicated that Amazon was preparing a second wave of layoffs, following a reduction of approximately 14,000 roles in October.

Amazon has previously linked its restructuring to shifts in corporate culture, efficiency drives, and the growing influence of artificial intelligence. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the company—along with other major technology firms such as Meta, Microsoft and Google—expanded its workforce rapidly as online shopping surged. That expansion is now being unwound as demand stabilises.

Beth Galetti, Amazon’s chief human resources officer, said the latest cuts are intended to strengthen the company by “reducing layers, increasing ownership, and removing bureaucracy.”

AI and Automation Drive Restructuring

Amazon has also announced plans to close its remaining brick-and-mortar Fresh grocery stores and Go Markets, marking a further retreat from physical retail. At the same time, the company is increasing its use of robotics in packaging and delivery operations, particularly in warehouses, to speed up deliveries, lower costs and reduce reliance on human labour.

The layoffs highlight the growing impact of artificial intelligence on corporate workforces. AI tools are increasingly capable of handling tasks ranging from routine administration to complex software development, accelerating automation across industries.

Amazon chief executive Andy Jassy said last summer that the company’s expanding use of AI and automation would inevitably lead to further changes in workforce requirements, including reductions in certain corporate roles.

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