Amazon execs say layoffs are part of turning the company into the 'world's largest startup,' leaked memos show

Internal communications from Amazon's leadership have revealed the company's rationale behind laying off 16,000 corporate employees, describing this move as essential for transforming Amazon into the "world's largest startup." This ambition was emphasized in two memos, which were reviewed by Business Insider. The executives articulated their vision of fostering a culture centered around ownership, agility, and innovation, underscoring the need for ongoing structural evolution. This concept of becoming the "world's largest startup" has been a recurring theme under CEO Andy Jassy, who highlighted Amazon's capacity to function with the agility typical of a startup in his recent letter to shareholders. The memos, authored by Amazon Web Services (AWS) vice president Prasad Kalyanaraman and senior vice president Colleen Aubrey, also provided insight into the company's strategic communication regarding the layoffs, suggesting a unified approach among top executives. In a separate memo, Greg Pearson, another AWS vice president, addressed the layoffs, encouraging employees to leverage technology to streamline their work processes. Furthermore, Amazon has provided additional details for those affected through an FAQ and communications from HR chief Beth Galetti. Reports indicate that the layoffs have impacted various teams, particularly within the AWS cloud division, including the AI service Bedrock, the Redshift cloud data warehouse, and the ProServe consulting team. Retail sectors such as the Prime subscription service and the last-mile Delivery Experience team have also been affected. As of now, Amazon has not issued a public response to inquiries regarding the layoffs.