Several major companies have recently announced job cuts as they shift resources toward artificial intelligence. Social media platform Pinterest and e-commerce giant Amazon are among those restructuring their workforces to strengthen AI-focused roles and strategies.
Pinterest announced it will reduce around 15 per cent of its staff, which amounts to under 780 positions. The company said they aim to redirect resources to AI projects. They had 5205 full-time employees as of September last year. Pinterest also plans to close smaller office spaces related to past acquisitions.
To support its AI strategy, the company has launched tools such as Pinterest Assistant, offering personalised product recommendations and the Performance+ ad suite to automate marketing campaigns.
Amazon, meanwhile, confirmed that it has cut 16,000 corporate jobs. It’s part of a larger plan to reduce around 30,000 positions since October. The company said some of the cuts are connected to its efforts to invest more in artificial intelligence and automation. The cuts affect about 10 per cent of the company’s corporate workforce, as they employ 1.58 million people worldwide.
The reductions coincide with Amazon closing its remaining Fresh grocery stores and Go markets. It ends the Amazon One biometric payment system, too.
The recent job cuts reflect a wider trend. Many companies hired aggressively during the COVID-19 pandemic to meet growing demand. Now, as AI becomes central to their strategies, they are reshaping workforces to adapt new technologies.
Layoffs are rising. Layoffs.fyi reported that 123,941 tech employees were let go from 269 companies in 2025. While AI is expected to create new roles in the long term, companies are currently using the technology as a reason to reorganise and cut costs.
Although this move toward AI is not sudden, it signals a change in how companies operate. Employees are now encouraged to develop AI-related skills, while businesses invest in technology to stay competitive in a rapidly changing market.
